SOUTHGATE HORROR SHOW
Gareth’s video nasties a wake-up call to stars
GARETH SOUTHGATE hasn’t spared anyone’s blushes this week – even his own.
The new England boss showed his squad a video of the ups and many downs you experience when wearing the Three Lions shirt.
And to ram home his point, he even included his infamous penalty shoot-out miss at Euro ’96 which cost England a place in the final on home soil.
The squad watched as Southgate’s darkest hour was played along with the humiliating defeat against Iceland last summer which ended Roy Hodgson’s stint as national boss.
Southgate had every right to squirm at the sight of goalkeeper Andreas Kopke beating away his spot-kick at Wembley as Germany clinched a place in the European Championship final.
Inspired
The England players were also given a no-holds-barred pep-talk before they fly to Germany today for tomorrow’s friendly with the world champions.
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy said the players had been inspired by Southgate’s specially-commissioned compilation.
Vardy said: “It was great. Obviously, we were looking forward to the World Cup and beyond and what basically we want to achieve as a squad together.
“There were highlights and clips from the past as well, when things have not gone right in the past and how we can use them to benefit us in what we want to achieve.
“The penalty was on there, yes. He didn’t go into much detail but he wanted it to be on there to show how far he has come as well. Obviously him being in that situation, and to have his knowledge of that, can benefit us quite a lot.”
Vardy was only nine at the time of that fateful miss which has haunted Southgate ever since.
“I watched most of the games and Denmark’s team and fans were based straight across the road from where I lived,” said Vardy.
“I got a few Danish shirts and stuff to take home when Denmark went home afterwards.
“It was good, great atmospheres – it was just a shame how we went out.”
Vardy revealed that the video and Southgate’s clarion call to the players had spelt out their future objectives.
“Basically, it was about where all the players want to be and where the manager wants to be and what we want to achieve,” he said.
“You have to keep going. We’ve never struggled when it’s come to qualifying but for some reason it’s not happening in tournaments.
“There’s got to be something that’s slightly wrong there.
“I think we’ve just got to focus to make sure we take the qualifying form into the tournaments.”
Strange
The Iceland debacle at Euro 2016 wasn’t ignored either, with Vardy adding: “It was on the video but more as a low point that we can learn from. We didn’t focus on it too much.
“We know that game was a let-down for everyone.
“I think you do need to look back on things like that to make sure you improve from situations and hopefully now going forward that’s what we want to do.
“I don’t think you can explain it, to be honest – it’s strange.”
But the Leicester hitman said the main emphasis was now on the road in front.
“We’ve got a great set of lads talent-wise, unbelievable.
“But like I said, we’ve just got to make sure we keep progressing.
“It might be slow, it might be quick – no one knows when it’s going to happen but we just need to make sure that we’re constantly pushing forward.
“If we’re all at 100 per cent and all on top of our game, we can give any single team in the world a game. And we know we can beat them on the day, so there’s no harm thinking it can be done.”