Scotland had passion, commitment and, most importantly, goals in reserve against Georgia. England didn't even have any in their starting line-up during a wretched draw against Israel.

Not even a bottle of Tanqueray by my side made the match more bearable. The sobering realisation is that Steve McClaren's team are on the edge of the abyss. I am not going to make a staunch defence of the manager, I wouldn't dream of doing that because he has hardly covered himself in glory since taking over, but he was bold in his decision to drop David Beckham after replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson and may have to do the same again with one of the international untouchables.

Too many players are either unwilling or unable to reproduce their club form for their country.

As a former captain from a vastly different era, it hurts immensely to see such talented players lacking the basic motivation to represent their nation.

The time has come for some to be sacrificed for the greater good. These are players who are rocks for their clubs. I have seen them score and dominate games in the Champions League, win leagues and cups, yet have watched them unable to break down one of the worst teams I have seen in international competition.

Steven Gerrard doesn't like playing on the right of midfield, but, if Liverpool ask him to do it, he does. The most incisive passing from central midfield for England came from him, even though he was playing on the right. Perhaps McClaren should take Frank Lampard aside and say "with all due respect, Frank, this just isn't working". Things aren't right. Wayne Rooney hasn't scored in 15 internationals yet there is no one behind him pushing for a place. I saw little to get excited about watching the Under-21s open Wembley Stadium against Italy, either.

The contrast between Scotland's collective effort at Hampden and England's lack of inspiration in Tel Aviv was staggering. I went out in Glasgow before the game and the atmosphere was brilliant. Walter Smith and now Alex McLeish have given the Tartan Army a team to be proud of again. McClaren has simply continued from where Eriksson left off but for both countries the players are the key to their contrasting fortunes.

On paper, England have supposedly never had it so good yet they have been nothing short of woeful when it matters. The World Cup was a monumental disaster and the same players have contributed to a dreadful start to a qualification group that, from the outset, they couldn't fail to qualify from.

Now I have more confidence in Scotland travelling to Italy for a result than England going to Russia in the near future with three points an absolute necessity. England have proved individual talent is worthless without pride and desire. Scotland may not boast the best group of players in their history but they have overcome their shortfalls with a sense of togetherness that is the envy of the Auld Enemy.

They have added a new dimension to their recovery since the departure of Berti Vogts, the ability to overcome adversity. Previously they may have folded after Shota Arveladze's equaliser but it is a measure of the motivational work undertaken by Walter and now Alex that they do not know when they are beaten.

The players are gradually getting stronger and more confident in the international arena and even their bench is improving rapidly.

Craig Beattie and Scott Brown were inspired substitutions. If Brown could bottle his enthusiasm and sell it, he would be worth a fortune. He changed the game with his endeavour, while Beattie's impact leaves Scotland with a great chance of reaching their first major championships in a decade.

England, by comparison, are a cure for insomnia. It is alarming that McClaren could not find one left-footed player from within one of the best leagues in club football and the old problems from the Eriksson era persist.

It was telling that the Tartan Army and the Scotland players responded positively to Roy Aitken passing on instructions from the touchline.

It left Alex and Andy Watson to concentrate on their tactics and the flow of the game. England started the game with their manager and assistant in the stand and the body language was atrocious. There are rumours that all is not well but I don't understand why Terry Venables appears to have such a peripheral role. He is respected and loved by English fans and in terms of international and club management has achieved more than McClaren.

In retrospect, maybe it was an appointment designed to placate the press but the England fans and players would rather see him on the touchline showing his passion and emotion the way Roy did for Scotland. It does not undermine the manager, but seeing Terry out at the pitch using his tactical brain and shouting instructions and encouragement would get a better response than the ice-cold effect they became used to under Sven.

It might seem strange but there is a lot England can learn from Scotland. I usually miss the Scotland build-up because I would normally be away covering England for Radio Five Live but it was so refreshing watching it all come together. There is a genuine feelgood factor and the players are starting to believe in themselves. Guys like Kris Boyd go out expecting to score, whereas England go out hoping to score but showing absolutely no conviction.

I had an interesting debate with Scott Booth on the subject of Boyd this week. You have to respect what he does. He missed a couple of sitters against Georgia but got his goal and is so much like Ally McCoist it's frightening. He misses the easy ones and scores the hard ones. England are screaming out for somebody like Boyd yet some people in Scotland are preoccupied with his weaknesses.

At the moment England would be delighted just to score a goal.

I expect them to rain in on Andorra, which will be an absolute walkover, but that will just mask the problems that exist. They would do well to take a leaf out of Scotland's book. They are not expected to get anything in Italy but at least they have plenty of points on the board. For England, it might already be too late.