I can find no weaknesses in Southgate’s ‘special’ England – Montenegro coach

Tumbakovic gives hosts little chance tonight Famous draws against visitors are ‘in the past’

in Podgorica The 30-year-old is capped 59 times and will be heavily relied upon as Montenegro’s main goal threat after netting 13 goals in 23 games in the Israeli Premier League for his club, Maccabi Netanya. The Atletico Madrid defender will marshal the Montenegro back line. Will need to draw on all his experience under Diego Simeone’s guidance to keep Kane, Sterling and Sancho at bay. Scored on Friday with a brilliant, curling left-foot shot against Bulgaria. Three goals in eight competitive internationals suggest the South Koreanbased forward is at ease on the big stage. City defender Harry Maguire might have been a “weak link” ahead of England’s 5-0 triumph at Wembley on Friday, Tumbakovic disagreed. The head coach said his team would have to improve on their 1-1 draw with Bulgaria to get anything out of England.

“The start of the qualifiers, the first game, brings its own importance, its own responsibilities,” he said. “There were special nerves in the players from both teams, that is why there was a lack of quality that would have made that game more beautiful than it was.

“Our performance in the second half was a lot better, but still far away from the quality of football Montenegro can show. That is why I believe this second game will be at a higher level than the first – the model and the way England play is something special.”

England have not played Montenegro since qualification for the 2014 World Cup, when they won 4-1 at Wembley. This time, Southgate has warned of an “intense” atmosphere and he can be assured of no shortage of noise from a raucous 15,000 crowd. Six years ago, Joe Hart was hit by a missile from the stands, while Ashley Cole was spat at.

Tumbakovic has been in charge since January 2016, having won silverware with Shandong Luneng, where he lifted two Chinese Super League titles in between spells in Saudi Arabia and Iran. He is trying to rebuild Montenegro with younger talent. However, the tiny pool is perhaps exposed most by their goalkeeper, Danijel Petkovic, who has been on the bench for French second division club Lorient since the turn of the year.

Many of the players who forced three draws against England this decade are now retired, including the former Roma favourite Mirko Vucinic. Dejan Damjanovic, the last Montenegrin to score against England, is 37 and winding down his career in South Korea.