England manager Roy Hodgson has revealed that he is considering recruiting a psychologist to avoid more penalty shootout agony at a major tournament.
Under Hodgson's management, the Three Lions exited the 2012 European Championships after spot kick failure, and have been eliminated in the same fashion six times in total since 1990.
The 66-year-old is weighing up a number of options, including bringing in medical help, to guarantee that England do not suffer the same fate at the World Cup in Brazil this summer.
However, there are also some more conventional training methods that he is contemplating, including having his potential penalty takers practise from 12 yards without a goalkeeper against them.
Hodgson told Sky Sports News: "I'm not averse to using a psychologist. We are considering the possibility of inviting someone with us but I think it's very important they're someone who is part of the group. I'm not sure just suddenly shipping someone in to give the players a lecture would work.
"I think there's another possibility we should be encouraging payers to know their penalty, to practise that penalty. When you practise penalties within your group the goalkeeper knows the players, so maybe we won't do it with a goalkeeper. Maybe we'll have target area No 1 and target area No 2 and we'll insist the player hits those targets. There are a lot of things that can be done but the bottom line is always going to be there'll be players who are less confident than others.
"It's a matter of how we assure ourselves that when those players go up they are as well prepared as they can be. In the final analysis it will be their character, their confidence and their ability to block out tomorrow morning's headlines. Some players are good at that, other players find it harder. If a psychologist can find a way of getting a player to block that out we'll be very very happy."
England have been drawn alongside Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica in Group D for the tournament.
Joe Fish
