Southgate’s reign may come to grief at Euro 2020 but Albania are little threat
Hczechs to shock Belgium is value bet over England markets
De La Sayette to capitalise on plum Lincoln ride
Qualification for the 2022 World Cup is under way before the outcome of Euro 2020 is known and England can be backed at 8/1 to claim victory in Qatar next year.
That price will contract if England perform above expectations at this summer’s European Championship, but it is still difficult to agree with Coral making them joint favourites with Belgium at 5/1 to win the delayed competition.
Many people are getting carried away by England’s abundance of attacking talent, with pundits lining up to declare that Harry Kane, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford can fire them to success over the next couple of years.
Those forward riches are undoubtedly cause for optimism, but any positivity is immediately neutralised by doubts surrounding the quality of defenders and goalkeepers in the squad, while there is every right to question the level of Gareth Southgate’s managerial ability.
Southgate has been given a relatively easy time of things by the media compared with previous managers and his open approach to training camps and willingness to share information and access with journalists has been a masterstroke.
Southgate’s results have been the least anybody should expect and reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup was exactly what England should have achieved, given their relatively comfortable path through the tournament.
I remain unconvinced that Southgate has the tactical nous required to guide a team to tournament success and I would rather throw a fiver at 7/1 on England not to qualify from their Euro 2020 group, which contains Croatia and the Czech Republic, than wager that stake on England winning the whole tournament at 5/1. The 4/1 about Southgate not being in charge of England when the first ball is kicked in Qatar at the World Cup next year is also worthy of consideration.
Having said that, it will be a huge shock if England lose in Albania in their latest World Cup qualifier tomorrow and they are 3/10 to win that match, with the home side priced at 11/1. So, let us avoid that game and instead attempt to find some value elsewhere. I might take a chance on the Czech Republic beating Belgium at 21/5 tonight.
The Czechs have enjoyed a decent upturn in form with wins against Israel, Slovakia and a 6-2 thrashing of Estonia in their past three matches.
Czech football is displaying signs of a resurgence, with Slavia Prague knocking out Rangers and reaching the last eight of the Europa League against Arsenal and, with Belgium not hitting top gear in their midweek win against Wales, today could be the time for an upset.
With the change in seasons comes a change in horse racing and the Flat turf campaign begins at Doncaster this afternoon.
There is one name on the card at Doncaster that is worth remembering, but it is not a horse. Benoit de la Sayette is just 18, apprentice to champion trainer John Gosden, and
The 4/1 about England’s manager not being in charge in Qatar is worthy of consideration
has the plum ride on Haqeeqy in the Lincoln, the day’s biggest betting race.
The 7lb claimed by De La Sayette is a gift for trainers and punters alike and close attention must be paid to any horse that he is riding in the next few weeks. He is close to a certainty to be champion apprentice this season and, considering he is Gosden’s first apprentice in close to 20 years, he can be expected to be fast-tracked to the very top.
Haqeeqy has won three of his past four races, with one of those coming at Doncaster. He is lightly raced, so is still open to improvement and has the assistance of the sport’s rising star in the saddle.
He can be backed at 4/1 to become the first of many big-race De La Sayette winners.