EU MUST STAND AND DELIVER
Southgate: Fulfil your potential now
England boss Southgate says forget favourites tag
to Denmark and Belgium in recent
DHGJDGHHGJD games to dent optimism.
GARETH SOUTHGATE has
And while Southgate believes
claimed his exciting England
while England are in the mix, he
stars “have it all to prove” in
reckons up to TEN teams could be
their quest for Euro glory this
in with a shout of becoming
summer.
European champions.
And while the Three Lions have “A lot of people are talking about a chance of making history, the potential of our young players, Southgate has warned his young but we have to deliver and that is players they cannot live off the challenge,” said Southgate. potential indefinitely. “We have to live with that
Before Covid struck a year ago, pressure and expectation. We England were installed as one of shouldn’t hide from that because the leading favourites to triumph it’s a privilege to have that. at Euro 2020. “We are in there for the Euros –
Their impressive progress since but we have it all to prove.” the 2018 World Cup in Russia has Southgate begins preparations been enhanced by victories over today for a triple header of 2022 Spain, Croatia and Belgium amid World Cup qualifiers starting on a blizzard of goals against the Thursday against San Marino, Czech Republic, Montenegro and then Albania and Poland. Bulgaria. But he is playing down the
But England have also suffered notion England are favourites, setbacks, failing to reach the with Belgium and Portugal – Nations League finals and losing boasting stars such as Kevin De
Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes – as major threats.
“I think Belgium are obviously a key contender,” said Southgate. “While Portugal have won a Euros and a Nations League.
“Then there’s France who are World Cup holders and you only have to look at their squad depth. And you have teams that are currently ranked just beneath us who are resurgent in Spain and Italy who both qualified for the Nations League finals.
“So I think there are eight or 10 teams who will be strong. And history in the Euros tells us actually that’s correct – it’s not necessarily been an outright favourite that has gone and won it, it’s been a strong competition.
“So although we are further forward in terms of winning big matches, we have to do that more consistently.”