GARETH: WE NEED A NEW GAZZA
England search for star to build team around
GARETH SOUTHGATE fears the failure to find the next Paul Gascoigne is hampering England’s bid to close the gap on the very best teams in the world. The Three Lions coach said Saturday’s defeat by Spain, which followed England’s semi-final loss to Croatia at the World Cup in the summer, has been something of a “reality check”. With Thiago dominating play for the 2010 World Cup winners throughout the 2-1 win at Wembley in the manner that Luka Modric ran the show for Croatia in Moscow, England were
second best. Spain can once again expect to compete for major honours with a player so technically adept he can make them tick no matter how much pressure is put on him.
“Spain have had a production line for a long period,” said Southgate. “Of that type of player, they’ve produced more than any other team in the world.
“The only one in my lifetime for England is Gascoigne and I’m not sure he was developed, I think he was a consequence of a unique talent.
“He had that belief and confidence, because you know you can receive under pressure and you know you can dribble past people, pass past people.
“I have to focus on improving the team as much as I can. Teams have pressed us and as the game wore on we started to work out how to get through it.
“What is happening at junior level is more emphasis on technical ability. There is more emphasis on being able to handle the ball and play.
“We’re seeing that with some of our junior teams. But we can see there’s a period of time for those players to come through.”
Southgate is likely to make a number of changes for the game against Switzerland tomorrow and has called up Leicester’s Ben Chilwell and Demarai Gray after Luke Shaw’s horrific head injury and a slight hamstring concern over Marcus Rashford.
The FA confirmed Shaw had been concussed and was looked after by medics overnight before being released to Manchester United today.
Premier League rules insist on a six-day break following concussion so he could still be eligible for Manchester United’s trip to Watford on Saturday.
Shaw was taken off on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask and brace, right, after colliding with Spain full-back Dani Carvajal before landing on the pitch.