WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN THE England going full of belief LION STING Vardy: We hadn’t planned for going a goal down
remain realistic, Southgate knows many of his players have openly talked of bringing the World Cup home.
And he has told his young squad to head for Russia on Tuesday full of belief.
“Why would I limit what they feel is possible?,” said Southgate.
“They are at an age with a hunger and enthusiasm and belief that they can keep improving.
“But we have got to improve to reach the latter stages of the tournament and that’s going to take a lot of hard work over the next few weeks.
“But I am seeing evidence that they are embracing that challenge. There is an optimism about youth.
“They believe anything is possible, which it is. The period of time to achieve that remains to be seen.
“We are nothing to do with the past. The past can inform us and help us but shouldn’t shape us. We have got to be our own team.
“This is a diverse team with different sets of skills. They have got a chance to make their own history.
“Whenever you wear an England shirt, you have an opportunity to make history. Marcus Rashford’s goal against Costa Rica will be shown for a long time to come. That is the power of playing for your country.” JAMIE VARDY has claimed that England are better prepared to deal with adversity than at Euro 2016 under Roy Hodgson in France.
The Leicester striker admits the Three Lions stars crumbled in the fateful last-16 defeat by Iceland in Nice two years ago because they had not properly prepared for going a goal down against the minnows.
But he has insisted that will not happen in Russia – as boss Gareth Southgate has got all bases covered as they ready to jet off to the World Cup.
Hodgson and assistant Ray Lewington infamously took a boat ride down the River Seine in Paris on the day potential last-16 opponents Iceland were playing Austria.
Although Hodgson, now Crystal Palace boss, watched the game back at England’s base in Chantilly that night, when England came unstuck against Iceland his in-seine trip came back to haunt him.
Vardy said: “The Euros was a low for English football. We know that. But I don’t think we were prepared for every eventuality in 2016.
“When we went a goal behind against Iceland, we didn’t know what to do. A lot of us just expected to win. We weren’t prepared for the game – and it backfired.
“We just didn’t know what to do to get back in the game when we were behind because we just hadn’t planned for it.
“It’s different now. I think if you asked every single player what the difference is, they would say that we are prepared as a team for every scenario.
“We know what we have got to do.
“We know how we will play if we’re up against a so-called smaller nation who will sit back.
“We know what to do if we’re up against one of the top teams.
“That gives the boys a lot of confidence that we can get the job done.”
It’s not just on the pitch where Southgate has nailed it, with Vardy enthused at the way Southgate has managed the build-up to Russia.
He said: “The boss has done it right. He gave us all a week off after our last games of the season and I think that was important.
“It gives you the chance to just completely forget about everything.
“And when you come back in, you are refreshed and ready to get stuck back into work.
“Two years ago that didn’t happen. We finished the season and it was straight into the Euros and I think we suffered as a result of that.
Relax
“This time I got away to the Maldives to just sit on a beach, and not have a care in the world.
“I can’t go to Magaluf any longer! I wanted somewhere I could relax and where I didn’t think anyone would know me.
“They did, though. They are football-mad over there.
“But the way the boss has prepared this time has helped the lads.
“I think it has showed in the way we have attacked training