Monday 10 November 2014 17:19, UK
Jamie Peacock believes the Rugby Football League (RFL) should keep the faith in current England head coach Steve McNamara.
The former Bradford Bulls boss has come under pressure following England's failure to reach the final of the 2014 Four Nations Series.
I came back from the 2008 World Cup with a sense that we were a million miles away and also when I looked at the team in 2010 I thought England were some way away from beating New Zealand and Australia. Now that clearly isn't the case any more.
They defeated Samoa in their opening game in this year's tournament Down Under but then suffered narrow defeats to co-hosts Australia and New Zealand in their following outings, meaning they finished the group stages outside the top two.
McNamara's contract runs for a further 12 months and Peacock - who captained England before retiring from international action in 2012 - feels the current squad of players have shown they are "not a million miles away".
"It's an exciting time for that team when you look how many players are world class and how many are on the cusp of being world class," Peacock said.
"That's testimony to the environment that Steve McNamara and his coaching staff have created over the last five years to enable players to reach their potential.
"As a coach, you've got to get the performance right and I feel this team is as competitive with the southern hemisphere sides as any we've had over the last 15 years.
"I came back from the 2008 World Cup with a sense that we were a million miles away and also when I looked at the team in 2010 I thought England were some way away from beating New Zealand and Australia. Now that clearly isn't the case any more."
The Leeds Rhinos forward added: "We were 20 seconds away from a World Cup final and a fingertip away from beating Australia. There's a fine line, we're not a million miles away.
"The squad will be a year older and a year wiser against New Zealand next year and I think that is a series Steve needs to win.
"This team is going to flourish. There is an opportunity, especially with Australia being in transition, for England to become a great side in the next five or six years."
McNamara's role became part time after last year's World Cup, when England suffered an agonising semi-final defeat to the Kiwis at Wembley, allowing him to also take up a post as assistant coach at Sydney Roosters.
The RFL has been widely criticised over that decision but Peacock believes there are advantages to having a Sydney-based national coach, especially with seven members of his 24-man squad currently plying their trade in the NRL.
"The England job is a part-time role and I think it's good that they've got a coach behind enemy lines, analysing what the Australians do," he said.
"Both the New Zealand and Australian coaches are part-time and we've got the advantage over them with a performance director in Jon Roberts who is based in England but working closely with Steve."
