Glenn: Trio Will Be Better

Glenn Roeder is hoping that the three boys who were on England duty this summer will come back improved players - but he will not be seeing that just yet.

With the first team squad set to report for duty on Thursday, the trio - who have been given some much needed time off - will be absent WITH leave.

"Our boys need rest to recharge their batteries, though; I am a believer that you do need a complete break from football, ideally four weeks, but certainly three, and we want them looking forward to the new season.

"The experience of being in the World Cup should move all of our three boys on a little bit further because they will have that little bit more knowledge.

"Joe, for instance, told me that he was enjoying being with players from other clubs and the things you pick up in training working with these players will hopefully be to our benefit.

"He is one of just a handful of 20 year olds who was at the World Cup, so he can say he was in a very exclusive club out there.

"He must learn from it, having remained positive about not playing more, and put the experience to good use in the next couple of seasons - both for us, and for England."

Meanwhile, there was a certain surprise about Sol Campbell rather than Rio Ferdinand being picked for the FIFA team of the World Cup, Glenn says:

"Rio has had the sort of credit that he deserves, and it has been achieved by the quality of his performances.

"I must say, though, he has been well assisted by Sol Campbell alongside him - in my mind they looked the best defensive partnership at the World Cup.

"Sol Campbell is not too far behind Rio - if at all - and they make a great pairing.

"What's more, the wonderful thing is that they are so young you can see them working together for the next six to eight years.

"Rio was getting all the publicity because he is very eye catching, but in my view Sol is doing an equally as good job.

"I worked with Rio first in France '98 where Glenn Hoddle took him for experience, in a similar way to Sven-Goran Eriksson taking Joe Cole.

"Glenn would have used him had he had to, but you can also see how the experience stood him in good stead four years later.

"I had a few times when I was able to work with him at West Ham as well, but not too many because I didn't get too many opportunities to work with the first team at that time.

"But I have long known what potential he had, but I think you can drop the word 'potential' when you talk about Rio now, because he is being spoken about as a world class defender."