Time to chill out, Gareth
MICHEL PLATINI – who was banned from football for four years for taking a £1.6million backhander, is linked to a French corruption probe over handing the World Cup to Qatar, introduced two extra goal-line officials despite them being as useful as a pair of balls on a eunuch and lobbied for a 40-strong World Cup – says VAR is a terrible idea.
Finally, one reason to think it might not be so bad after all.
GARETH SOUTHGATE is feeling a bit sorry for himself right now which is a bit strange.
He cast doubt on whether he’d still be in charge at the next World Cup by saying he’s just had a week which showed how quickly “people can fall out of love with you”. Who are these jilters?
To finish a Euro qualifying campaign six points clear with a goal difference of plus-31 is something all of his predecessors would have settled for.
To come through some controversial moments during that campaign – the players’ threat to walk off the pitch in Bulgaria, the bust-up between Joe Gomez and Raheem Sterling and the hyped furore over James Madison’s night in a casino – with little collateral damage is something those who went before him would have offered a small limb for.
And to have your options boosted almost by the month with young talent proving themselves top class in the Premier League, as well as looking forward to next year’s Euros’ semi-final and final at Wembley, is beyond any previous manager’s dreams.
That might appear extremely fortunate, but Southgate, who has rarely put a foot wrong in the most demanding of jobs, has earned his luck.
So chill out, Gareth. And feel the love.