"Steven Gerrard alongside Wayne Rooney is the most gifted footballer in the Premiership but the Liverpool captain is my favourite," said the Spurs manager.
"Gerrard has got vision, speed, a one-two, a shot. He is intelligent. He has got stamina, a package of attributes few in the world can match.
"If Sven Goran Eriksson can give Gerrard a freer role and let him play in the hole, England will join Brazil, Argentina and Italy as the main contenders for the big prize. Luckily, Eriksson has a footballer who can sweep the questions away. His name is Steven Gerrard.
"I would also play Peter Crouch. He's a better player than people think. How often do continental sides come up against somebody like him? Uruguay and Argentina couldn't handle him in recent friendlies and that's the advantage of the English game.
"England have ball players such as Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Carrick but you also have the old English ingredient as well. Why not use that? The English ingredient is a big man up front with a big heart, and a little fellow beside him. When you play against Crouch, what can you do? You can't beat Crouch to the first ball, he is too tall and you just have to let him win it then challenge him, but you commit fouls that way, and do teams want to give England free kicks when they've got Beckham?
"Crouch will be dangerous in Germany, winning the ball from set pieces, throw-ins, even kicks from Paul Robinson. Running off him will be Michael Owen, who is unbelievable when you can play him into space.
"Even if Rooney were fit I would play him, Owen and Crouch."