Failure is not an option: England must reach Brazil

The immediate future of English football is at stake over the next two weeks. If England do not successfully negotiate their way through the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland, the national game will sink into such a depression, I am not sure how it recovers. It would be catastrophic not to be in Rio next summer. Failure is unthinkable, not just for the careers of players and the manager, but because of the broader consequences.

Every strand of English football would be hurt by not being there. The world's greatest party is being held at what is rightly considered the home of 'the beautiful game' and the damage of not being invited in terms of perceptions of English football, reputation and long-term development of players would take a while to reverse. It is bad enough being considered in the second tier of international countries, but falling into the third tier is a long way back.

I can well imagine what will happen if results do not go England's way. There may be those talking about 'blessings in disguise' and an opportunity to take stock and rebuild, looking to the youth. That would be nonsense. There is no silver lining if England do not get there. None at all. Let me tell you, the best place to prepare for a fresh start is on the world's stage, not in the audience watching everyone else perform.

Yes, English football must have an eye on the future - that debate about reforms will and must continue - but this must be done from a standing start, not with the Football Association, the players and the supporters on their knees in a sense of despair. An atmosphere of gloom and doom is not particularly hospitable for a restructuring operation. There is nothing to be gained from sinking into the abyss before you start looking for a golden sky. England have to qualify for Rio.

Even if they perform badly when they get there, it is preferable to not being there at all. All the talk of 'giving youth a chance' ignores a key fact, anyway. What youth? Where are the outstanding youngsters ready and waiting to replace Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard for a European qualifying campaign next season? Keep searching because there are none who are good enough to take the place of those two.

There is no golden generation patiently waiting in the aisles looking for the opportunity to create a seamless transition. The best prospect, Everton's Ross Barkley, is still raw and needs a full season in the Premier League before we can start expecting him to be international class. He is certainly not ready to be the focal point of an England World Cup starting XI.

So it does not matter how you dress it up - in the context of where English football is - the next two fixtures are the most important internationals to be played in this country I can remember. England have failed to qualify for a World Cup before, of course, notably in the 1970s and 1994, but the game has changed so much and even then, I'm not sure you looked at those failures and thought the country would not recover. This time, the worry is greater because we already know a rebuilding job is a necessity because of the shortage of English players.

We all know what happens during those two months of the World Cup, the fervour and excitement it creates before every fixture. England would not go to Brazil seen as contenders, but there would still be the hope they would cause a surprise. Every child in this country who loves watching football will be out playing during the summer holidays and - as with every major international sporting event - there is no greater motivation than seeing home grown heroes perform, making those from this country believe it is possible to emulate them.

The best way for me to emphasise the importance of this to the England players is this: I won three European Cups with Liverpool. Hand on heart, I can honestly say I would have given them all up to be a World Cup winner for my country. Seriously. For a player, the World Cup is the ultimate. It is the competition you dream of being a part of, and winning it would eclipse anything a career can offer. When you have a tournament in Brazil, a country that lives and breathes football, you can multiply these emotions even further.

One of my greatest personal disappointments was being left out of the Scotland World Cup squad for Mexico in 1986. I had just won the League and FA Cup double, was 31 and had four years left of my career at the top. I look back and I am still not sure why I was not in the squad.

Every player dreams of being there, knowing it is the pinnacle. It is that hunger you must hope will drive the England squad to success. There is no way England are going to win the World Cup even if they do qualify for the finals, but it will be an experience those players will always consider a highlight, while for the younger elements it will be an invaluable education. For the sake of English football, Hodgson's side must deliver. If not, it is going to an arduous and long road back to respectability.