It's not coming home

Sam Allardyce's tenure as England manager begins on Sunday when his side launch their bid to reach the 2018 World Cup against former Euro 2016 foes Slovakia in Trnava.

Allardyce, 61, was handed the role he had long coveted after Roy Hodgson stepped down in the immediate aftermath of England's humiliating Euro 2016 elimination by Iceland.

It was England's most dismal loss since a 1-0 defeat by the part-timers of the United States at the 1950 World Cup, but Allardyce believes the experience will make his young team stronger.

"For me it is about going out and the players showing not just how passionate they are, but how skilful they are at international level," he told reporters this week.

"We were the youngest squad at the Euros and I think the experience they have gained in that tournament -- some of them for the first time -- will give them a better determination and next time round they will be much better."

England would not have encountered Iceland in France had it not been for a frustrating 0-0 draw against Slovakia in Saint-Etienne in their final group game.

Hodgson received a torrent of criticism after making six changes for the match, in which England failed to score despite dominating proceedings.

Several players who lined up in England red at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on June 20 have seen their statuses change significantly in the two months and two weeks since.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart is now on loan at Torino after being frozen out by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

He at least got a place in Allardyce's first squad, unlike Everton's Ross Barkley and new Bournemouth loanee Jack Wilshere, both of whom were overlooked.

Chris Smalling, an ever-present at centre-back throughout the Euro, is not currently getting in Manchester United's team and Daniel Sturridge has had to get used to a watching brief at Liverpool.

Ryan Bertrand, the left-back in Saint-Etienne, is injured and 18-year-old sensation Marcus Rashford has dropped to the Under-21s after seeing his place taken by Zlatan Ibrahimovic at United.

But Raheem Sterling, lambasted for his performances in France, is in the form of his life at Manchester City and, like his new club-mate John Stones, is a strong contender for a starting role.

West Ham United midfielder Michail Antonio, meanwhile, could win his first cap.

Captain Wayne Rooney is to be used in the number 10 role, having laboured in midfield at the Euro, and has vowed that this qualifying campaign will be his last.

Already his country's record goal-scorer, Rooney will earn his 116th cap at Trnava's Stadion Antona Malatinskeho, taking him past David Beckham as England's most capped outfield player.

Slovakia coach Jan Kozak, whose side fell to Germany in the last 16 at the Euro, has also made adjustments to his squad.

Goalkeeper Jan Mucha and winger Miroslav Stoch missed the cut, the latter after falling out with Kozak, Stanislav Sestak has retired from international football and several players are injured.

Kozak has called up two uncapped players in MSK Zilina winger Jakub Holubek and Dukla Prague holding midfielder Jakub Povazanec.

But the core of his starting XI is likely to remain unchanged, built around Fenerbahce centre-back Martin Skrtel, AC Milan midfielder Juraj Kucka and Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik.

As in Euro 2016 qualifying, when they won 2-0 at Switzerland in their opening game, England are beginning a qualification campaign with what appears to be their most difficult fixture.

With only the top team guaranteed to qualify from Group F, which also features Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta and old enemies Scotland, Allardyce can ill afford a false start. 

Sam Allardyce vowed to defer to captain Wayne Rooney over his positioning after starting life as England manager with a last-gasp 1-0 win over Slovakia in World Cup qualifying.

Adam Lallana snatched a 95th-minute winner against 10-man Slovakia in Trnava on Sunday to prevent Allardyce from becoming the first England manager since Bobby Robson in 1982 not to win his first game.

Rooney, making a record 116th appearance for an England outfield player, adopted a deep-lying midfield role for much of the game despite Allardyce having said he would play in a number 10 position.

But Allardyce said: "This is the most decorated outfield player in England. He's won everything at Man United, more or less, and at Champions League and domestic level.

"He holds a lot more experience at international football than me as an international manager.

"So using his experience with a team, and playing as a team member, it's not for me to say where he's going to play.

"It's up to me to (ask): 'Are you playing well in that position? And if you are playing well and contributing, that's great.'

"Yes, I'd like him to get forward a bit more. He's been a goalscorer all his life and I want him still to score goals, but he reads a game as he reads it.

"I must admit, he did play a little deeper than I thought he'd play. But I was pleased with his performance."

Rooney, 30, started the game in midfield alongside Jordan Henderson in a 4-1-4-1 system.

Lady Luck plays a small but significant role in a World Cup that runs over a month.

Performance is of course the most important factor that brings the trophy. But then again, there are small things that at times draw the thin line between winners and losers on some days. The god of small things is Lady Luck, which may swing this way or the other in any of the seven matches, on any of the seven days that a team turns up to lift the coveted cup.

The best of teams may not win a World Cup if they are not a little bit lucky from tournament's first fixture to the final.

A deflected goal. Ball hitting the post and staying out. A player's slip-up at a crucial moment. A key player sidelined for unnecessary bookings. A misdirected spot kick from the unlikeliest footballer. A wrong pass to the opponent inside the box. A player not in the right place at the right time.

This World Cup in Russia has been witness to all these small things in one match or the other. At least one or two of the favourites -- Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Spain or Portugal -- that went home early would have played in the final had they been a little lucky.

Remember the curling free-kick of Messi that barely touched the fingers of the France goalkeeper to stay out, the deflected own goal of Brazil's Fernandinho, the injury of Edinson Cavani in Uruguay's match against France or the perfect dummy of Romelu Lukaku in the last minute that edged Japan out.

However, it's not because of luck alone that France and Croatia moved to the final out of the 32 teams in the tournament. Both teams are gifted with depth and talent. Rival coaches have also showed good tactics as well.

If France and Croatia fail to write their fate, the god of small things will for sure.

The writer is former sports editor of The Daily Star

Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup From Jun 14 to Jul 15, 2018 The 2018

FIFA World Cup will be the 21st FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of the member associations of FIFA

The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is just months away! Are you ready to watch the world's greatest sporting event?  

Watch the latest videos of 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.  Make sure you don’t miss any of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ action. Stay with us for Live & exclusive news and analysis.