England are the Villa in disguise; Your Shout.

NOW that the close-season diversion of the European Championships is over with England's limited football failing as usual, we can return to what represents the true heartbeat of the game - club football.

Mind you, although I couldn't care less about international football except when there are Villa, as opposed to former Villa players playing, there is quite a lot that we Villa fans can learn from the Euros.

In a sense, England are the Villa of international football, and Villa the England of club football - limited technically, oldfashioned, ugly and with the emphasis on pace, strength and commitment rather than individual and collective skill.

However, Paul Lambert has a decided advantage over Roy Hodgson when they both prepare to address the deep-rooted problems facing them at Villa and England.

Hodgson is bound by the matter of player qualification as he searches for new talent to replace the over-rated and over-hyped failures outclassed and humiliated yet again in Kiev.

At least Lambert has a much broader choice of recruit, even allowing for financial constraints, and if quality is not available to him from home-grown players, he can look abroad and to foreign players already in the English game.

Villa need to learn from England's failings. Houllier and McLeish, despite their shortcomings, could see what needed to be done - develop a close and controlled passing game with the ball worked through midfield to the feet of technically-accomplished forwards.

I am sure that is what Paul Lambert's brief is and he has the ability, drive and track record to do it.

S HUDSON, Birmingham * THOUSANDS of TV viewers who know Sweet FA about football will be confused.

They will have read or been told that England and Italy play a similar type of football, and should their match go to penalties, England would be better prepared.

They will wonder who was England's Pirlo and who decided which half of the pitch that most of the game should be played on.

They will also ask if Joe Hart will return the DVD of Italian penalty takers that his team-mate Mario lent him.

C REYNOLDS, Ward End Send letters to: Your Shout, Sports Desk, Birmingham Mail, Floor 6, Fort Dunlop, Fort Parkway, Birmingham B24 9FF. email your.shout@trinitymirror.

com. All letters should include name, address, and telephone number.