While many England followers dread Saturday's meeting with Israel, Steve McClaren was rather convincing when he claimed to be looking forward to the critical Euro 2008 Group E qualifier. A comparatively small number of withdrawals must have improved his morale, but the manager was already confident that he himself is better equipped for the job now.

What brought about this improvement in the post? "Just the experience of it," McClaren said. "We started the first three games and everything was hunky dory, but I said the job will start when we lose. We got beaten, the job started. We have learned a lot since then. I have."

There has been no competitive fixture since that miserable defeat in Croatia, but opportunities to raise spirits in subsequent friendlies were wasted, with a tolerable draw with Holland followed by the defeat to Spain at Old Trafford. It is a matter of urgency that McClaren's team make the most of what talents they do possess.

That will be the theme as he holds his first team meeting today. "We had a disappointing World Cup," he said. "Since then we have had disappointing games. There is ability, potential in that side to be better than we are at the moment. We have got to go out and prove it."

This well-worn topic has been handled by so many of his predecessors, but the capacity to make talent tell is a topic of endless relevance. On Monday, 10 members of the party came through a pair of FA Cup quarter-finals more or less unscathed and McClaren had the luxury of reflecting on the decisiveness of gifted players.

"In a very tight game, what is the difference?" he asked "The difference is a world-class striker turning on a sixpence and hitting the ball in the top corner; it wins you a match."

That reference to Andriy Shevchenko's opener in Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Tottenham was followed by thoughts of the man who earned the penalty with which Manchester United beat Middlesbrough. "You look at (Cristiano) Ronaldo, a special player wins you games. We have those players with England."

It is the final assertion that remains contentious while England have appeared so laboured, but McClaren is adamant that he does possess such individuals. As he implores them "to step forward in the big games" thoughts turn, as ever, to Wayne Rooney.

In Tel Aviv he will face the defender Tal Ben Haim, with whom he tangled in an incident during Manchester United's fixture with Bolton late in 2004 that led to a disputed three-game ban. The players have met several times since then, but Saturday could disinter old resentments.

"We need to play with controlled aggression, steely resolve," said McClaren. "Wayne can do that. That is part of his make-up. You wouldn't want to take that away from him, away from any of them, because that is what we will need in Israel."

The manager is optimistic about Jonathan Woodgate and Micah Richards, whose injury problems seem to be minor. The sole absentee whose loss McClaren could really rue is Gary Neville.