My guess on why the England football team is playing so badly

When any of us spend all our time focussing on the details to correctly execute the routines of a game plan. It is easy to feel like all mistakes let others down. Let ourselves down. When we can’t get our routines to work we become lost - hesitant - overthinkers. Because it feels selfish to do anything else. It makes sense to try harder to make ourselves and others more perfect.

This is what I think the England football team is doing.

It is better to take time out from practicing the routines of a game plan. To do something to switch off the routine. Something that encourages players to weave micro routines into an unplanned flow of action. To do things we didn’t plan to do. Wow moments.

When players know they can find other ways if and when it doesn’t go to plan. They relax and become better at implementing the routines of a game plan.

There is a truth to the saying - "failing to plan is planning to fail". But, the saying - "no plan survives the first punch" - is equally true.

England football team is only preparing the game plan.