Southgate bites back
England coach hits out at ‘outrageous’ criticism of players before Slovakia showdown
Gareth Southgate has launched an impassioned defence of his England players, declaring it “outrageous” to suggest they are not proud to play for their country – which was not always the case for some of his team-mates during his own playing career.
But ahead of the biggest match of his tenure – tonight’s World Cup qualifier at home against Slovakia – the manager also conceded that his team were a “work in progress” who were nowhere near as good as Spain. That was in response to being asked whether he had watched Spain’s impressive 3-0 demolition of Italy 24 hours after England had laboured to their 4-0 win away to Malta, with three late goals providing a flattering scoreline and the travelling fans having expressed their anger.
“How could we possibly compare ourselves to a team who have Champions League winners throughout on a consistent basis, have a World Cup and European Championship under their belt?” Southgate said.
“We have some exciting, young players who can be really good going forward, but they will have to go through some of the hardships those Spaniards went through to get where they are. [Now] Real Madrid and Barcelona are in the last four of the Champions League every year.
“I don’t know how quickly we can develop that. Maybe very quickly. But I go back to what I said a few months ago: if we’re looking for some kind of messiah to change things, I don’t think that’s realistic.”
The disconnect between England and the fans has become a developing theme in recent years, hitting a low point after the exit against Iceland at Euro 2016, with the supporters now quicker than ever to round on the team. That discontent spilt over in the form of booing in Malta, even though the result kept Southgate’s side on top of Group F and on course to reach the finals in Russia next summer ahead of second-placed Slovakia.
“Is it helpful? I don’t see how it can be helpful for the team,” Southgate said of the criticism.
“But we have to just get on and perform as we did and play through it. What I hope is the fans really get behind us.
“There’s nothing better than playing in your own stadium and feeling the fans are a huge advantage for you and intimidating the opposition. That’s what supporting is all about. I understand our job is to entertain and excite the supporters. But we want to get to a World Cup. The notion the players aren’t proud to play is outrageous, really. They’re unbelievably proud to play. Yeah, they might not play as well as they’d like to sometimes, not converting all their chances, but there’s no one not giving 100 per cent.”
That was not always the case, Southgate later said, when he was playing for England, earning 57 caps from 1995 to 2004. “I’ve played in teams where people were there every time, and others weren’t. It’s not important who they are,” he added.
Did he mean with England? “Yeah, yeah. Absolutely,” Southgate added. “That’s why some people get 50, 60 or 70 caps and others, who may be good players, don’t.
“I guess what I’d say to the supporters is every team has new players. Whatever your feelings have been about the team, can you give the next generation the support that any English sports team craves? To be successful is going to mean more if we are in it together.
“That is the pride of playing for England. These guys are the best in the country.
“They’re there on merit. They are proud to play. They are doing what everyone at home wants to do, and we want to deliver. It won’t be for lack of effort or preparation.
“We’re not demanding they’re here. They want to be here. The easiest thing in the world would be to pull out, but we picked 28 players [for this squad] and 28 turned up. That’s a really good sign, and it hasn’t always been the case. It’s a shame the guys who come get stick, and the guys who duck out escape.”
The spiralling wages and transfer fees in football have made that disconnect with supporters even greater. “I’m sure it’s difficult for anybody to relate to,” Southgate said. “Having started [as a player] on £28-a-week, it’s slightly strange for me as well. But that’s economic supply and demand, isn’t it? In the end, that’s not about playing for England, that’s about value to the club.
“I guess for actors and musicians it’s always different. Not too many musicians go on stage and are stopped by an opponent. They can just go and play, and if they mess it up they are probably not one of the best. But at least no one’s tried to stop them. And not many of their crowds turn to them and say, ‘We pay your wages, hurry up!’ It’s a different dynamic, but I get it and that is why we love the game.”