The pain of missing out on a World Cup only hits you when you retire... so DO NOT freeze, lads!

England's players must go out at Wembley against Montenegro and do what they have to do. They cannot freeze, they must deliver. There is no bigger carrot for an international player than qualifying for a World Cup.

Bulldog spirit: Bryan Robson breaks through a tackle by a Morocco defender during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico

Going into these two games (they play Poland on Tuesday) they wanted to be in control of their own destiny and that is where they are at. Two wins and England go to Brazil. Simple as that. It’s not easy but it’s certainly achievable and it’s within their grasp.
This is their best chance and they have to give it their best shot.

Listen up: The England squad is put through its paces ahead of the vital qualifier against Montenegro

   

If you want to be a player of repute and compete with the best, this is the tournament you need to play in, the one you want when you are putting in all those hard hours of training on cold, wet training pitches. This is the fulfilment of every young footballer’s dream.
The pain of failing to qualify for a big tournament only really hits you when you finish playing. I was fortunate to play in three World Cups.
I had a broken leg when Argentina came round in 1978 so never got the chance in qualification but when I finished playing and watched tournaments with fans when England weren’t there I realised what it meant to the country.
Sure you understand it is important but it is the impact it has on the country and the football fans that doesn’t always get through to you.
England need to qualify for Brazil for the good of the game in this country and our reputation worldwide.
We are not the finished article we are behind quite a few teams such as Brazil, Argentina, Holland, Germany, Spain and maybe even Belgium so I’m not one who will start shouting we can reach the quarter finals but it is essential we at least get to the final tournament.
How we do it over these next two games doesn’t really matter, let’s worry about it once the results are in the bag. 
Every England player will be mindful of how they performed at the last World Cup when there were some really poor performances and they will be desperate for another chance.
For some it will be their last chance and they will want to go out and remedy what we witnessed in South Africa under Fabio Capello.
We have had too many draws under Roy Hodgson and having strikers back such as Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge should help change that. Wayne has talked about he wasn’t happy with being asked to play in midfield last season at Manchester United but under he has got his head right again this season with David Moyes’s arrival and he is playing close to his best again.
That can only be good for the country because he is the one world class player we have who can turn a game in an instant.
Any team that hopes to progress needs maybe three like him so it shows the measure of the task ahead but let’s get there first.
Wayne will be key, of that there is no doubt. He’s improving every game he plays this season and I see a desire from him to show he is one of the best strikers in the world too.

Highs and lows: Robson scores against France at Spain 82 (above) but hobbles off against Holland in 1990

Double act: England will look to strikers Daniel Sturridge (left) and Wayne Rooney to lead the line at Wembley

I'm often asked how I used to captain and what I’d say to a team ahead of a game. It depends on those around you. Some respond to being shouted at, others to gentle encouragement.
The most important thing I found was to make sure your own performance was right first before you started demanding more from others.
If you can lead by example it is easier to lead but I was fortunate to have other strong characters around me too some who captained their clubs and they did their own fair share of shouting and rallying the troops.
I think Steven Gerrard is similar to me in how he likes to concentrate on his own game first then he tries to take control of the play.
His experience of the big occasion is very important and it helps in settling others down. All the experienced players have an important role but the young ones need to take responsibility too.
It’s a big chance for them to impress and the pace and technique of the likes of Jack Wilshere and Sturridge can give the side that extra edge.

Captain Marvel? Steven Gerrard will have to use his vast experience to help his team-mates with their game

 

I have every faith in Joe Hart. Everybody has jumped on the bandwagon in criticising him but I’m not convinced the mistakes he has made have really cost Manchester City their results.
The performance of the team in my opinion is what has cost them in the games they have lost. People forget how important he has been in other games and you need to keep that belief to bring back his confidence and help him through what, by his standards, is seen as a poor patch.
The defenders in front of him obviously have belief in him and that is extremely important. It’s odd how these fixtures often throw us up against Poland but I remember the important role Peter Shilton played in helping us get to Italia 90.
He made three or four brilliant saves as we drew 0-0 in Katowice and it gave us the point we needed. Joe Hart may yet play a similar hero’s role. Both Montenegro and Poland are dangerous sides, they have top strikers and play well on the counter attack.
Couple that with the fact they still have everything to play for and it’s two dangerous games. Our concentration levels need to be at their optimum.
Get that right, cut out any sloppy play and come next week we should be heading to Brazil.

Safe hands? Joe Hart has struggled for Manchester City but retains Roy Hodgson's confidence for England

Still No 1: Hart will start between the posts for England as they face Montenegro at Wembley on Friday

Finally, I wanted to thank Sportsmail readers for their generosity and support for my trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. We’ve had a great response so far.
For those unaware, myself, Kevin Moran and a team of trekkers are going to scale Kilimanjaro, the tallest free standing mountain in aid of the Manchester United Foundation.
All funds raised will go towards some great charities such as Unicef, Francis House, which helps terminally ill children, and the Christie Charity a leading cancer treatment centre.
Training is going well. I even walked from my home into Manchester the other day which is about 11 and a half miles.
I was sorely tempted to get a taxi on a couple of occasions I can tell you but I got there in the end. Hopefully, I won’t need a taxi home from Tanzania!

Gearing up: Robson climbs Mount Snowdon in training for his charity trek up Kilimanjaro