In five years as England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been nothing other than courteous.

And I mean nothing.

He is not the sort to work a room with his wit and repartee, for instance asking anyone who would listen how many ears Captain Kirk had and laughing at his own joke.

How many? I'll tell you later.

The point is you can't see it can you?

He is much more likely to tell you Captain Beckham has played 'very well,' his team has played 'very well' and all is 'well' in the world.

His private life might have spawned a saucy headline or two but when it comes down to football and press conferences and his actual job Eriksson has been as dull as his team, which has been winning while boring the pants off the footballing planet at this World Cup.

Until, that is, the last three weeks.

In that time Eriksson has turned from the Swede with ice in his veins into a character with humour and warmth and, yes, a bit of fire in the belly.

The guy has become much more interesting. Much more likeable, too.

So much so that one leading journalist, exclusively following England, remarked: "He's been great entertainment on this trip."

I'm not saying it has manifested itself in his team. It clearly hasn't, but if they come out against Portugal on Saturday with the fire and determination with which Eriksson defended himself this week at England's training camp in Baden-Baden then the semi-finals of the World Cup beckon.

Eriksson, whose patience in the line of tabloid fire has been exemplary, finally got fed up with being pushed around.

"Don't tell me that I don't know what to do," he told reporters.

"Of course I have a clear vision.

"What do you think we do with the players? Just say 'good luck and do what you want to do'?"

Well, if we're honest Sven, sometimes it has looked that way, especially in the first two matches here against Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.

Eriksson added: "If they only have one system you ask where is Plan B and if we have two formations you say we don't know which way to play."

Fair point, but then if Gary Neville plays against Portugal England will have used four right-backs in this competition if you count David Beckham filling in, as well as Jamie Carragher and Owen Hargreaves.

And three different holding midfielders in Steven Gerrard, Hargreaves and Michael Carrick. Hence the confusion.

There may be method in the madness, but to some it still seems like madness.

If the quarter-final turns out to be Eriksson's last match as England manager - and right now I think they might just shade it - he has, however, at least shown there is a character behind that myopic expression. The mouse has left it late, but at last he has roared.

Asked by reporters what Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari might have done first if he had got the England job Eriksson replied: "Get rid of you lot."

The challenge right now - and surely such talented individuals have one really outstanding team performance in them - is getting his side to play with a bit of the freedom and style he has belatedly demonstrated himself.

Here's hoping.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot, Captain Kirk.

The answer is three. A left ear, a right ear and the final front ear, of course.

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English reporters at the Portugal training camp were confined to three questions only at a press conference this week after Scolari and co had pulled up the drawbridge after taking offence at a tabloid tale.

Others among the five or so journalists, including myself, actually staying at the Klosterpforte hotel were refused entry to the reception area despite being paying guests because Scolari apparently was in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, a set of gorillas in dark suits and who professed to have trained in the German secret service, were drafted in overnight to 'keep the peace.'

Portuguese paranoia meets the power of the press.

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If ever a match defined a World Cup then it is the quarter-final between three-times winners Germany and Argentina, who have lifted the trophy twice.

Michael Ballack v Juan Roman Riquelme, Miroslav Klose v Hernan Crespo, the rejuvenated hosts against the most fluent and eye-pleasing team in the tournament.

On pure footballing talent Argentina should prevail. But there is an irresistible force about Jurgen Klinsmann's men which has final written all over it.

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Eric Cantona, the man who gave us trawlers, sardines and seagulls, believes Manchester United are on the cusp of a new triumphant dynasty.

Says Cantona: "United will win more championships than Chelsea in the next 10 years, I'm sure of that."

Yet another statement which was difficult to fathom.