By Terry Butcher BBC Radio Five Live pundit

David Beckham felt the pain...from a rib injury

England went some way towards answering my criticism of their performance in Austria with a solid team display and crucial World Cup qualifying victory in Poland.

Jermain Defoe was terrific and with four points from two games, I think England have established the foundation to be at the top of the group after games against Wales and Azerbaijan in October.

It appeared I stirred up a hornets nest with my comments about David Beckham and England after the game in Austria.

Let me say I stand by every word I said and take none of it back.

If this has sparked a reaction and inspired England to win in Katowice then I'm glad.

I have praised England's players to the hilt when they have done very well in the past, and if I'm guilty of anything then maybe I've been over-supportive in the past.

If you can't take criticism then you shouldn't be in the business Terry Butcher Butcher says: 'England need to get real'

I was very positive about the overall picture after Euro 2004 amid some criticism, but there comes a time when harsh words have to be spoken.

I'm not here to sit on the fence and simply accept what I see. I've got an opinion the same as anybody else, and if you can't take criticism then you shouldn't be in the business.

I had it all my career, with people saying I wasn't international class. I just got on with it and worked hard.

It was how I felt after Austria. I can't help it and I won't change it - everyone knows how passionately I care about England and how much I want us to do well.

And if the England players think the criticism they have had has been bad, they should have been with us at successive World Cups in 1986 and 1990 when we got hammered by the media - and reached the last eight and the semi-final.

We were looking for honesty and I was giving an honest opinion.

It's a pity Defoe was denied his opportunity to talk about his display and rightly claim his place as the centre of attention Terry Butcher FA explains player silence

Sven-Goran Eriksson made two changes in bringing in Defoe and Paul Robinson for Alan Smith and David James.

Defoe was absolutely terrific, and this boy's got a real gift for goals. He scored with a superb turn and finish.

I must admit I would have kept faith with David James, but sometimes as a manager you get a gut feeling about these things.

Maybe Eriksson and his coaches, along with Ray Clemence, looked at moods and attitude and felt it was right to make the change.

Eriksson made a statement by bringing in Robinson, who did nothing wrong, and now it will be very difficult to leave him out.

Defoe has provided Eriksson wth a welcome dilemma

My pre-match criticism of David Beckham captured a lot of attention, but I thought he did okay as part of a solid team performance.

I thought he held his shape in the team much better and played his part in a team that attacked well and looked solid.

Much has been made of the squad's decision not to speak to the media after the game, and I do think it is a pity Defoe was denied his opportunity to talk about his display and rightly claim his place as the centre of attention.

I was part of an England team that took a similar decision in 1990, but that was over matters of a more personal nature that centred on the squad.

I feel the squad have handed the initiative back to a critical media with this decision.

I wonder how many players were consulted before this decision was taken Terry Butcher Silence fails to stop criticism

It was a great opportunity to say to the media, including Terry Butcher and anyone else who was critical: "Thanks very much. You inspired us and we've come back stronger and better."

They could have thrown it back at us like that, which I think would have been their best tactic.

It would have been a chance for them to speak from a position of strength, but now they have antagonised sections of the media.

I wonder how many players were consulted before this decision was taken. Was it a group decision or was it just a few?

But it all sets things up nicely for the game against Wales.

Defoe has given Eriksson a real selection dilemma if Wayne Rooney is fully fit and Michael Owen is in good shape.

I am sure Eriksson will go with Owen and Rooney, but Defoe has really put a marker down.

I think England will be sitting pretty at the top of the group by the end of their next two games - but I still think they could have been sitting even prettier with six points out of six from their opening two games.

Eriksson, however, will settle for four after a traumatic week.