PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT FOR SOUTHGATE AS HE PLANS TO PUT AN END TO ENGLAND’S SPOT-KICK & KNOCKOUT MISERY

GARETH SOUTHGATE has spent the last 20 years thinking about penalty shoot-outs.

Ever since THAT miss in Euro 96, Southgate has been determined to make sure no more England players go through the torture he suffered.

The prospect of penalties looms almost as ominously for England as having not won a knockout game at a major tournament in 12 years.

They face Colombia in Moscow on Tuesday with Southgate knowing that if it goes to a shoot-out then history will be against England as they have crashed out of three World Cups and three European Championships on penalties.

It is why Southgate is determined to make sure the players approach it with confidence rather than fear as they have been practising penalties from day one in their World Cup training camp. It almost feels inevitable.

When asked whether he could learn from his own experience at Euro 96, Southgate said: “Absolutely, no question. I have had a couple of decades thinking it through.

“In defence of the staff there at the time, penalty shoot-outs weren’t as regular then. We didn’t have the depth of knowledge that we do now.

“FA Cup ties went to two, three replays so we weren’t in those situations as often.

“Definitely it’s not about luck. It’s not about chance. It’s about performing a skill under pressure. There are individual things you can work on.”

Southgate considered staging a shoot-out after one of the World Cup warm-up friendlies, they have been totting up the statistics after every training session and, of course, have been using a sports psychologist on a regular basis. The last defeat on penalties came at Euro 2012 against Italy. England’s only success was against Spain in Euro 96. It means they have the worst record at shoot-outs in the world.

Incredibly, Southgate was not even expecting to take a penalty against Germany at Euro 96 and only stepped up after England boss Terry Venables’ coach Bryan Robson quickly looked for willing players at the end of the game.

“I was a volunteer really,” said Southgate recalling the worst night of his career as he seeks to ensure it will never happen again. ‘‘The type of character I was felt you should put yourself forward.

“It is probably braver not to if you are not confident. We will have a more considered list of who has been finishing in training, what the numbers should be unless they are injured. And we keep updating the list.

“There are the players that take them regularly and have their own routine and are able to maybe change decisions depending on the goalkeeper,.

“There are others who don’t take them as regularly who need to practice one or two stock penalties that they are able to execute at that moment.

“That’s what we have tried to do with the players, to deduce what group they are in and whether there is a need for individual technique.”

Equally, England’s poor record in knock-out games might fill the nation with dread.

What has happened since the 2006 World Cup (when they beat Ecuador in the last 16 and then inevitably went out to Portugal on penalties) has generally been turn up at a major tournament and go home as soon as they play anyone decent. And that is not including Iceland.

Germany put England out of the 2010 World Cup, Italy beat England on penalties at Euro 2012, they did not get out of the group in 2014 and Iceland inflicted humiliation on Roy Hodgson at Euro 2016.

The challenge to Southgate has been laid down by his FA bosses to win a knock-out tie, although that came with the caveat that it is not the be-all and end-all for a man they want to stay in charge for the next four years at least.

But he is confident that they can end England’s dismal run.

Southgate added: “It is exciting. It’s one of the reasons why we’ve done what we did against Belgium, to give ourselves the best possible opportunity of doing that.

“We’re still a long way from perfect but there were moments from a lot of those players of what they’re capable of, which will give them individual belief.”

HOW DID GARETH GET OVER MISS? IT WAS A PIZZA CAKE