Tomlinson's date with England

Tomlinson: "Best football movie since Escape to Victory"

By BBC Sport Online's Peter Sanderson

A goal-shy striker, a frighteningly overweight midfielder and a manager who picks his team with his mates in the pub.

Surely, this isn't the final England team to play at Wembley before the bulldozers move in?

Well, it is. But, we are not talking about the team that Kevin Keegan fielded against Germany in that farcical farewell defeat on the hallowed turf in October.

Bassett's a real old-fashioned England manager

  Ricky Tomlinson

This is Ricky Tomlinson's latest role since hanging up his boots as the thinking man's couch potato Jim Royle in The Royle Family.

Indeed, his new movie sees him acting out his boyhood dream of managing the England team at Wembley in the film 'Mike Bassett - England'.

But, for all his new found fame, the devoted Liverpool fan isn't sure he'd make the best career advisor, having shot to stardom based on his performance as a couch potato.

"When people ask me for advice on how make a success of life it is very hard for me to offer sound advice," said the 61-year-old.

"Ever since I sat on my arse as a couch potato in the Royle Family, I have been offered a whole range of intriguing jobs.

Cole: Looking for a part in the film?

"First my agent was phoned up by Steven Spielberg, then I played out a raunchy, nude sex scene in 'Clocking Off' and to cap it off I was offered the role of England manager.

"It has been an interesting couple of months for me," admitted the stunned Liverpudlian, who used to work as a building worker and trade union activist.

Tomlinson plays Bassett, an old-fashioned coach who is offered the job after a successful stint at First Division Norwich City.

And, although a little far-fetched, there are realistic scenes involving the press constantly Bassett's downfall and the fans calling for his head after just three games.

Caring coach

His task is to take the team through three qualifiers to reach the World Cup finals in Brazil, with the only obstacles being a striker who cannot score and a hooligan captain.

But, before David Beckham and Andy Cole send their applications in for a part in the film, Tomlinson assured me that the it is meant to be a comedy.

Bassett does not help himself by picking his team in the pub and writing his squad out on the back of a cigarette packet.

England's passage to the finals is characteristically fraught and they finally make it only "by the back door".

And Tomlinson empathises with his character's plight.

"Bassett's a real old-fashioned England manager.

"He's an old journeyman footballer who plays by the rules. He is an 'England expects' kind of guy and he tries to instill this attitude into his players.

"It would certainly be interesting to see him in charge of the real England!"

Football legends Eric Cantona and Ronaldo are also lined-up to appear in the film, due for release in September.