England were obsessed with Andrea Pirlo ahead of World Cup clash with Italy... but they left their own pass master Michael Carrick at home

England gave Andrea Pirlo far too much respect in Manaus

Wayne Rooney should have closed him down and put him off his game

Raheem Sterling could have sold him a nutmeg

England DID produce their own Pirlo - Michael Carrick

The Manchester United midfielder has played one game at a World Cup

So the English obsession with Andrea Pirlo continues.



It's as if a load of FIFA-playing so-called football fans have discovered an alien species. A player who fundamentally stays in one place on the field, and shifts the ball about relying not on pace or physical strength, but on spatial awareness and control of the football.

These English 'Pirlovers' think he comes from another planet. Of course the suave appearance, the masterful beard, and the 'couldn’t give a f***' autobiography all help add to the mystery and attraction of this Italian God-figure.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch The best of Andreas Pirlo from Italy's training sessions



Back to work: Andrea Pirlo trains with the Italy squad ahead of their second match against Costa Rica



Running the show: Pirlo was at his masterful best against England as he inspired Italy to victory in Manaus

The tragedy in Manaus was that the English players, and probably even Roy Hodgson decided he was untouchable when actually we needed to get close to him, kick his backside, nutmeg him a few times and bring him back down to earth. He’d soon have come off with a strained calf or broken bootlace. We respected Pirlo far too much on Saturday, when it should have been our chance to put him in his place after that disrespectful chipped penalty in the shoot-out at Euro 2012.

Remember Stuart Pearce’s contorted face after burying that spot-kick in 1996, 6 years on from the pain of missing from the spot at Italia 90? Remember David Beckham slamming in that penalty in 2002 against Argentina after the injustice of the red card in St Etienne four years earlier? That was revenge, that was redemption.

Raheem Sterling running at Pirlo and nutmegging him, or Wayne Rooney leaving a foot in to upset – not injure – the Italian, upsetting him so much he wants to get off the field. That’s what England should have done.

More of this: England showed Pirlo too much respect and should have closed him down, as Jack Wilshere did

Must do better: Raheem Sterling could have run at Pirlo and Wayne Rooney should have closed him down



Instead we stood off him, and a load of dreamy-eyes glossed over back home at this Azzuri legend.

'If only we had him,' the English teenagers cried. 'England have never produced a player like that,' said the older generation. 'He dummied the ball! Did you see that? He actually dummied the ball!' screamed a gaggle of World Cup groupies who have probably never been to a game of any level in England in their lives.

The English obsession with all things foreign takes over yet again.

Oh, if only we could produce a precious Pirlo.

The sad thing is English football did produce a Pirlo. His name is Michael Carrick and after being left out of Roy Hodgson’s squad this summer he will end his career having played in just one game at a World Cup finals. We won it 1-0.

Lone appearance: Michael Carrick's only World Cup appearance came against Ecuador in 2006 Other plans: Carrick has been holidaying this summer after he was overlooked for a place at the World Cup



I don’t know if Carrick would have had as good an international career as Pirlo, but I do know the job he did in a very successful Manchester United side under Sir Alex Ferguson for many seasons.

All these England managers felt they knew better than Sir Alex. They all failed.

It’s all about opinions, and I’d probably conclude Pirlo is a better player than Carrick. But if England had used him in their midfield instead of messing around trying to use Lampard and Gerrard together, we may have been more successful. Anyone scoffing at this can’t prove me wrong.

If you love Pirlo, you’ll appreciate what Carrick has done for United all these years. If you can’t see the connection, then English football’s problems run worryingly deep.

Mainstay: Carrick has been an almost ever-present at the heart of the Manchester United midfield



