Oxford United’s former England goalkeeper Alan Hodgkinson is not impressed by the current England team saying they are bored in South Africa.

Some players have complained that it has been difficult whiling away the hours between World Cup games, apparently using it as an excuse for poor displays so far.

But Hodgkinson, United’s goalkeeping coach who was with the England squad in Chile in the 1962 World Cup finals, believes that has no bearing on performances.

“When I went to South America, we were up in the mountains away from everyone in a copper-mining village and we used to come down for matches on a little train.

“Yes, it is time consuming and all about filling in time, but if several England players are using that as an excuse, I don’t think that’s in good taste.

“They’re heavily sponsored, are well paid and I don’t think it’s right to be saying that.”

Hodgkinson, who at the time had played five times for England, was in the 20-man national party for Chile, alongside the likes of Johnny Haynes, Bobby Moore, Bobby Robson, Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Greaves, but the form of Sheffield Wednesday’s Ron Springett meant he didn’t feature.

In those finals, though, England did get through their group. If they fail to beat Slovenia, they will fail to make the second round for only the second time.

Robert Green’s blunder in their opening game against the USA cost the West Ham keeper his place in the team, but Hodgkinson doesn’t believe it was right to drop him.

“Capello stated he’s the No 1, but suddenly he makes a bad mistake and he’s not.

“They’re always blaming the ball. In every World Cup and every European Championship, that’s the first complaint. But I’ve studied all the goals and it’s just rank bad goalkeeping.

“Despite that, I would have stuck by Green. James is almost 40. I’ve had experience of working with 40-year-old keepers, Jim Leighton for Scotland, and Peter Shilton, and when you get to that age level you can’t jump. We saw that when David Seaman was beaten by Ronaldinho.”

Hodgkinson feels the poor quality of England’s goalkeepers is an issue that the FA need to address, adding: “We haven’t got good keepers, it’s all foreign goalies in the Premier League, but we’re not doing anything about it.”

Hodgkinson is continuing as United’s goalkeeping coach, and along with the rest of the playing squad and staff, returns for the first day of pre-season training next Monday.