Southgate’s squad are now playing their cards right

THE England players have traditionally struggled to stay engaged during the long periods of down time during tournaments.

Former manager Fabio Capello despaired at his players’ complaints about the remoteness of his South African training camp in 2010, while Sven Goran Eriksson has said he was surprised by the ‘amazing play room’ the players had in their World Cups under his charge in 2002 and 2006.

Kevin Keegan’s squad at Euro 2000 was beset with stories of gambling. But Gareth Southgate’s players seem to have found an effective answer to the boredom — the kids’ card game, Uno. Together with latest gaming sensation Fortnite, it seems the England players will be kept busy in relatively innocent pursuits. Uno is for children aged five and upwards and is definitely not usually a gambling game. It has taken hold among Tottenham players after Jan Vertonghen introduced it — and it has now taken over the England camp. ‘We’ve brought it here as well,’ said Dele Alli. ‘I play and I’m better than Eric Dier! I don’t know how.’

Alli also claims to be the best Fortnite player, an Xbox/Playstation game which, despite involving guns, is relatively benign and 12-rated.

It involves 100 online players para-gliding on to an island where they have to fight until the last player is left standing. It can also be played in teams and Alli said: ‘I’m the best Fortnite player. That is definitely true. I’ve won over 100 and something games. But a lot of the boys have just started.

‘You get some downtime and I think it’s a great way to relax and rest your body. We’ve been playing Fortnite since we started on this trip and we play in teams so it definitely brings us together. Me, Harry Kane, John Stones and Jamie Vardy against Harry Maguire, Nick Pope, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier. My team won.’