Gareth’s long-haul risk

THERE is a one-in-four chance at tomorrow’s World Cup draw in Moscow that England will be placed in a group involving three long journeys for their first-round matches from their preferred Repino base outside St Petersburg.

The FA seem to be committed to Repino whatever their fate in the Kremlin draw hall, despite the serious travel problems it will cause for Gareth Southgate’s side if they go into Groups C or F.

Group C would mean tiring flights from St Petersburg to Ekaterinburg, Sochi and Saransk, taking three hours, two hours 45 minutes and two hours respectively.

Group F is equally as energy-sapping, with trips again to Ekaterinburg and Sochi, plus Nizhny Novgorod, which is a two-hour flight from the England base.

If England are placed in either of those groups, Southgate will be asked if it still makes sense to stay in sleepy Repino.