Southgate retains trust in England youth for bright future
national side for their UEFA Nations League games against England and Croatia.
“It was a disaster last year, I did not know where I was, I was not happy. Not going to the World Cup was hard for me. I did not have the best season and the coach made the decision.
“I signed for Chelsea to be there and I was not, although that ultimately made me motivated.
“I do not hold a grudge against (former Spain coach Julen) Lopetegui, I’ve lived a lot of nice things with him too, it was his opinion and I ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate will continue to select younger players who can adapt better to his tactics and preferred formations as he looks to build on the side’s impressive World Cup showing in Russia.
Southgate, who guided a relatively inexperienced squad to the semifinals in July, told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Nations League match against Spain that he planned to retain a policy of promoting from England’s youth teams.
“We looked through different players over the last couple of years and decided, because of the way we want to play and the type of players we want to work with, that there are some guys who didn’t fit that model,” Southgate told Sky Sports.
“We’re into a fresh cycle of probably not going back to players who have been in before and that we’ve had a good look at,” the former England under-21s coach added.
“So the next group that we’re looking at are probably coming through our younger age groups.”
Southgate has also been forced to look for fresher options after the experienced duo of defender Gary Cahill and striker Jamie Vardy ended their international careers last week.
England won the Under-20 World Cup, the Under-17 World Cup and the Under-19 European Championship last year and Southgate has continually pushed for regular game time for some of those players in the Premier League.
England will be without the injured Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling for the Spain clash as well as the friendly against Switzerland at Leicester’s King Power Stadium on Tuesday. – Reuters did not do my best season either. “But I do not hold a grudge against anyone, I wish him all the best and more now that he is at Real Madrid.” Morata, who has 23 caps, admitted he took his international career for granted and was devastated to not be included in the World Cup squad, but has hope for the future under Spain’s new manager, former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique.
“I experienced it, it was a very hard moment that has already happened and it’s not worth looking at the past, I’m going to do everything I can to go to the next one, it was a difficult moment because I thought I was going to go,” said Morata. “When you start playing football and watch the World Cups on TV, it’s your biggest dream to play it with your country, I had a very bad time, I wanted my teammates to win it but of course I wanted to be there and it was a very difficult moment.
“There are times I have stopped valuing coming here, you do not think about it until you see the national team matches from your home and you know that it is the greatest thing to be with Spain, I hope to come for all the games.” – The Independent settle in to life at Stamford Bridge following his world record transfer, the 23-year-old has said. Chelsea signed Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao last month and the Spaniard has kept two clean sheets in the side’s four-game winning streak to start the season. “I’m getting used to my new life: a new city, new team, but it’s been positive because when things start well on the pitch, it makes everything easier,” Arrizabalaga told Spanish paper AS. Arrizabalaga, who was called up to the Spain squad for their UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and England, said moving to London as Thibaut Courtois’ replacement had felt like the right move. “I’m happy to take this step, I want to enjoy it… I have felt valued. In the last few years, a lot of Spaniards have done important things here and that’s good for those of us to arrive most recently.”