CHAMPS IN THE MAKING
Playing in Europe vital on world stage says Gareth
GARETH SOUTHGATE wants to see his England players move to the next level on the club stage to make them better equipped to cope internationally.
The England boss believes it is crucial that his players are constantly tested at the highest level.
So he is delighted there will be five English clubs in the Champions League next season – Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.
And Southgate will continue to push for tough opposition in international friendly matches, following Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat against France.
World Cup winners Germany, for example, are lined up to play at Wembley in November.
The Three Lions chief said: “I think for all top players there will always be the next challenge, like the Champions League and major tournaments.
“Look at Cristiano Ronaldo. You could see, when he was running the team from the touchline last summer after being injured, what it meant to him to be a European champion with Portugal.
“Lionel Messi is similar. We couldn’t have had a player over the last 30 years that has had a bigger impact on the game.
“Yet we’re all questioning him because there’s a missing piece – success with Argentina.
“So for every player there is always, ‘What’s the next bit I have to prove? What’s the next challenge?’.
“I was talking to James Ward-Prowse about his brief debut in Dortmund and he mentioned playing against Toni Kroos and watching him.
“There was a recognition of, ‘There’s the level of player that I need to be at’.
“So it’s important that our players recognise that there is always another challenge and another level.
“The great thing about Harry Kane, for example, is that he wants to know more about nutrition or athletic training or whatever it is. “He is so focused all the time on how to get better.” Southgate, meanwhile, intends on using specialist coaches to bolster his backroom staff occasionally, rather than adding someone else to his team on a permanent basis.
Previous boss Sam Allardyce had a four-strong group made up of himself, Sammy Lee, Craig Shakespeare and Martyn Margetson.
Before him, Roy Hodgson also had four – himself, Ray Lewington, Gary Neville and Dave Watson.
Southgate just has himself, his assistant Steve Holland and goalkeeping coach Margetson.
The England boss used Scot Allan Russell recently to work with his strikers.
And Southgate said: “I want the flexibility to bring in the right people for different areas of work or discussions.
“Steve starts full-time now, which is fantastic because I was always mindful of his commitments with Chelsea. Now, he is fully focused on what we are doing here.”