HIGH HOPES
Doha, Qatar - England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday desperate to take the final step after twice falling just short of winning the country’s first major trophy in more than half a century.
Gareth Southgate’s players will be relieved to finally focus on football after spending much of the build-up to the tournament mired in the ceaseless controversies surrounding host nation Qatar.
But now England start their three Group B fixtures established as one of the leading contenders.
That lofty status is a stark contrast to six years ago, when Southgate took charge with England at a low ebb after a series of humiliations on and off the pitch.
A woeful Euro 2016 exit against Iceland brought a suitably depressing end to Roy Hodgson’s England reign, while his successor, Sam Allardyce, lasted only 67 days and one match before
being forced out after a newspaper sting. Southgate set about rebuilding the team and has gradually restored them to the upper echelons of the international game.
A surprise run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals in Russia gave the manager credibility among previously
sceptical players and fans.