WORLD CUP winner Alan Ball has delivered his daming verdict on Sven-Goran Eriksson's England set-up.

The 1966 hero has confessed:

England lack leadership - on and off the pitch.

The players don't seem to be playing with confidence.

Eriksson makes it too easy for his squad.

The coach has paid the price for being "too cautious."

But Ball, who won 72 England caps and wore his heart on his sleeve in all of them, "can't believe what all the fuss is about" regarding Eriksson's future.

Previewing tonight's World Cup qualifier in Poland, the former Saints player and manager, right, remarked: "We could lose and it won't matter - we'll still go through."

Eriksson's men are under pressure to get a result after throwing away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 in Austria on Saturday night.

Eriksson and his squad have been panned in the national media for that performance in Vienna with the spotlight very much on the coach and whether he would resign if England flop tonight.

But Ball admitted: "Eriksson has said he will only resign if England fail to qualify for the World Cup and there's not much chance of that happening.

"It's almost impossible NOT to qualify for the finals.

"The top team goes through from what looks an easy group and if you finish second you can still qualify as one of the best of the worst.

"Today's players are a lucky lot.

"A draw tonight wouldn't be a disaster and not even defeat would be a disaster - we'll still win all our home games and get some points away."

Reflecting on the miserable chucking away of two points in Vienna, Ball said: "England didn't look a team as such.

"They played as if they were all playing for each other, they didn't play with any confidence.

"There was no real formation, it looked as if they were used to playing with each other.

"It's a sin that we can't find a left-sided midfielder of international class in this country, but it's not just football - I couldn't believe we only sent one British boxer to the Olympics

"What's happening to sport in this country?"

Ball's England career was characterised by a phenomenal workrate and a passionate desire to do the Three Lions proud.

So what he saw last Saturday annoyed him. "There was no leadership out there in Austria. Nobody seemed to be saying 'let's go and try and get a third'," he fumed.

"They doesn't seem to be any leadership from the bench so there needs to be two or three players on the pitch driving them on.

"Beckham leads by example but he's going through a poor spell, he needs help."

Ball, 59, admits Eriksson has yet to win him over in more than three years as coach of the national team, and doubts if he ever will.

"I like passionate people in football, I like vociferous people, I don't like passive people in football - I certainly never liked playing under them," he stated.

"Eriksson is too easy on his squad of players. He makes it easy for them - he gives them lots of time with their families and if you believe some people he lets the senior players advise him on tactics.

"No wonder all the players like him - you would love your boss as well if he let you get away with murder and was always sticking up for you.

"As I said, his players do have it easy under him.

"I wanted an Englishman in charge of the England team when he was appointed and I still would prefer an Englishman in charge.

"I was against him - and that was even before I saw his tactics. His record is okay with England but he's lost the big games.

"This World Cup is his last chance - he's got to get us there, which is impossible not to do, he's a lucky man in that respect - and then he's got to win it.

"I can't understand some of his tactics. We've been in the lead in important games and either drawn them or lost them because people have started to concede space and drop deeper and deeper.

"That's because what you see with him is what you get - he's a cautious manager."