It never rains but it pours for England, who arrived into a mini-monsoon in Rio and into an intensifying storm about their technical capabilities.
In a brief lull in the downpour, they even watched some Brazilian kids doing tricks on Copacabana beach that stunned Theo Walcott. Maracana is nearer being the finished article than England.
The debate about English players’ first touch, distribution and composure under pressure is a long-running one being highlighted currently as Roy Hodgson’s side labour to qualify for the World Cup.
Signs of real improvement, and a credible push for silverware, will occur only when St George’s Park produces sufficient youth coaches and the academies develop psychologically tough as well as technically accomplished graduates.
Such work is under way with the Elite Player Performance Plan but also required is a winter break, closer links between clubs and country and Hodgson being bolder.
Hodgson took his players to a favela yesterday, joining in a training session at the Instituto Bola Pra Frente project funded by Sport Relief and set up by the 1994 World Cup winner Jorginho, who used to live in the run-down flats overlooking the pitch.
This was the type of goodwill visit that wins so many friends. The locals were too polite to mention the slight irony of Englishmen teaching Brazilians skills.
“Coming here you see they are technically very gifted,’’ said Walcott.
“We had a stroll on the beach on Thursday and seeing some of the kids who were six or seven using their shoulders and everything to play beach volley. I can’t even do that myself. It shows technically they have got it out here.”
Jermain Defoe agreed, adding: “I saw some girls doing it as well. It was unbelievable. You aren’t surprised really because when you come to Brazil that’s what you expect. The talent.
"Even here watching the kids finishing, the technique is unbelievable. I just said about the power in that girl’s shot; wow we should get her on free-kicks.”
As the players gathered at Bola Pra Frente, news filtered through of Rio Ferdinand’s tweets about English deficiencies.
“In the last 10 years when have England played consistently well?’’ observed the Manchester United defender.
“A coaching strategy for our young teams/kids needs to be implemented to see change. In most PL teams retaining the ball is done best by foreign players in the team.... they are taught to pass to a man with a man on. So-called ‘Golden Generation’ obviously wasn’t because we won nothing! Great players don’t always make great teams.”
Ferdinand’s disparagement flowed in the wake of Gary Lineker’s criticism of “Dark Ages” England. “He’s a legend, he’s a Spurs man,’’ said Defoe.
“I respect Gary Lineker as a forward and obviously being a Tottenham man, everyone has their opinion, that’s life. If that’s going to hurt you then you’re a weak person. As a group we stick together and try to win football matches.”
As for Ferdinand, Defoe said: “Again no problem. I’m not having a row with Rio. He’s my mate and I love Rio. If he feels that way then he does.”
Defoe sought to introduce some balance into the argument. “Sometimes when I’m driving round the local area I’ll go over to the park and watch the kids play, they are still sharp,’’ said Defoe.
“But it’s different over here. A lot of the kids drop out of school really early and maybe when they drop out they get the ball out and just play football.
"By doing that that’s going to help you develop as a footballer. There’s a lot of talent over here but there’s a lot of talent at home as well.”
There is talent but not in sufficient quantities as nurtured by more thoughtful countries like Spain, Germany, Argentina and Brazil.
“My time in and around the squad has been fantastic, great moments great games and great team performances, sometimes it takes time,’’ said Defoe “but I feel we’ve got a good mix now with young players and senior players.
“We had a conversation on the bus about the last World Cup and we were talking about the loss to Germany. We should have gone in 2-2 at half-time and I remember first 10-15 minutes of the second half and as a team we played some good stuff.
"In the last game against Brazil, the performance was amazing. We beat Spain at home. Qualify for the World Cup and see what happens at the World Cup, then we’ll get judged then.’’
Work is being done on youth development. “Germany did it about 10 years ago and spent about €50 million on it,’’ said Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s director of football development, who was watching events at Bola Fra Prente.
“I was at a workshop last August when Joachim Löw was talking about it and I said to Roy, ’that’s where we need to be in 10 years’ time. We need to get 18, 19, 20-year-olds breaking into first teams of the Premier League.
“We want the clubs focusing on making the 16-year-old English players better than they have been. We believe you need full-time coaches.
"At the moment there is an issue in that those full-time places are being offered at pretty low salaries, around £15,000 to £16,000 a year and they need to be recognised for the quality and getting £40,000 to £50,000.
"If you get two coaches in the 12-16 and two in the 5-11 you are talking £160,000 to £200,000 a year and in the scheme of things that’s not asking too much to invest in quality coaches in those age groups so that the 16-year-olds are going to be much better than they are at the moment.”
England’s visit to the favela was a welcome sign that they are more prepared to step out of their five-star bubble, engaging with the local community, however fleetingly.
“It’s humbling coming to places like this and when you go away you realise how blessed you are,’’ said Defoe. “For them it must be a dream meeting some of the England players and the manager.’’