England face a massive game with Greece in less than five days time and I will be paying homage to Sven Goran-Eriksson.

I am going to try and watch the game without touching a drop of alcohol.

After all, the man obviously knows what he is talking about.

He has guided England to victories in every game since taking charge, and the clever Swede has knitted together a side which appears to believe in itself.

Okay, so it may be early days but Sven's doing the business and therefore, as a serious devotee of the beautiful game, I should take notice and maybe follow a few of his tips for success and just maybe my more professional attitude will rub off and we will win the crucial game in Athens.

Sven has made his views on alcohol and larking about crystal clear in the run up to the big game.

The England players are out in La Manga, Spain and Sven has been quoted as saying: "We have come here to play football - not roulette.

"Yes, we have spare time but we must use that time sensibly. And it does not strike me as sensible for players to be sitting at the bar. Now is not the time for them to be doing anything silly."

Too right Sven.

Only last Friday night I was in Newquay on a stag night and after watching a superb England first-half at the fantastic Pride Park stadium on television in a pub my game began to suffer.

I was not expected to run around, or even get out of my chair, but I soon began to appreciate the detrimental affect a few drinks and silliness can have on young(ish), impressionable sports people.

My focus and concentration slipped, so much so that when I pointed out to a complete stranger that Ashley Cole's whole game had matured in 45 minutes, he pointed out that I was now watching Chris Powell.

To be honest, the second half is all a bit of a blur but on a more serious point, there is a drinking culture that surrounds British society and to a larger extent British football.

Sven's predecessors have never outwardly condoned excessive drinking, but as products of the same society and footballing heritage, have accepted that it is unavoidable.

Only last week national newspapers alleged there was a drinking culture at Manchester City - and they were not referring to the long-suffering fans.

Sven has made it clear what he expects from the England players, although he has probably never had to deal with such a problem in his years on the continent.

Ian Rush once said of his stay in Italy, "It's like playing in another country" or words to that effect, and the hellraisers in Italy, Spain, France and further afield have a different approach by and large to drinking.

Ray Wilkins had a wonderful career in Italy and after a game he recalled that players headed home to the missus, maybe for a glass of wine with a meal, but not out on the razzle.

In La Manga 98, Gazza was the clown prince again, drinking and mucking about before being left out of Glenn Hoddle's plans.

It seems as though Sven has called time on those days and hopefully our top athletes, because that's what these footballers are, will see the benefits in Athens, and maybe later in Germany so that maybe one day they will be able to raise a glass of something stronger than water and toast real success on the world stage.