Ball - we need to keep possession (Allsport)

By Alistair Grant, PA Sport

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World Cup winner Alan Ball believes a fundamental shift in the mentality of English football is needed before the national team can repeat their 1966 success.

Ball, the midfield terrier in Sir Alf Ramsey's glorious campaign 36 years ago, insists that only by shunting the emphasis of the game from constant attack to ball retention can England conquer the world again.

The former Manchester City, Southampton and Portsmouth boss watched Friday's 2-1 quarter-final defeat in frustration, as Brazil's 10 men stung England with a freak second goal and then played keep-ball despite being a man short.

Ball feels fans' demands have prevented England developing a continental style, enabling a high level of possession.

He said: "Brazil's two goals either side of half-time completely took the wind out of our sails. We had a really bad second half - and by the time we got ourselves back together, the Brazilians were keeping the ball.

"That's what we've got to do - learn to keep the ball. It's a massive issue in the English game, and one I've been preaching about for a long, long time.

"English fans watching their league teams want 'bang, bang, bang' football. Attacking is the most important thing, with technique secondary.

"Fans haven't got patience to watch their team knocking it about. They want exciting, 100 miles per hour football all the time.

"They don't want to see four passes across the back - they want the ball going forward.

"So supporters decide our style of play, but it's not the best way to play in major competitions. Against the big boys of world football, attacking is not the most important thing. You need to keep the ball."

Ball believes England will learn from blowing what Sven-Goran Eriksson described as their "golden chance" of World Cup glory.

"It was a magnificent effort by England in Japan - but we'll never have a better chance of winning it than being a goal up against Brazil in the quarter-final," Ball added.

"I hope we'll win it again, and there's a chance as Sven's got a young team and we can move on from here. There's talent in the country - but we have to learn about keeping the ball."