England believe again
EURO QUALIFIERS: SOUTHGATE HAS MADE THE TEAM A RESPECTED FORCE
It is three years to the day that Gareth Southgate took charge of his first England game and few of the 81 000 crowd who watched his side labour to a 2-0 win over Malta at Wembley would have staked too much on him enjoying a long reign.
The job had rather fallen into the hands of the former Under-21s coach following Sam Allardyce’s sacking after 67 days in charge after he became embroiled in an undercover newspaper sting.
Southgate was initially installed as caretaker manager – a “safe pair of hands” to guide England through choppy waters following a humiliating exit to Iceland under former manager Roy Hodgson at the 2016 European Championship in France.
Fast forward three years and Southgate has transformed England from laughing stock to a vibrant, free-scoring side tipped as one of the favourites to win next year’s European Championship.
In 37 games in charge he has won 21, drawn nine and lost seven. He trusts young players, has encouraged an eye-pleasing and pacey style and has acted with dignity in victory and defeat. He has made England likeable again.
A man many said was “too nice” to be a success has become the most popular England manager since Terry Venables guided the national team to the semifinals of Euro 1996 on home soil.
England have scored 19 goals in four Euro 2020 qualifiers and face the Czech Republic tomorrow and Bulgaria three days later when few would expect anything other than two more victories.
A run to the World Cup semifinals was a welcome over-achievement but the buzz that engendered has been sustained and England’s fans are fully switched back on to the national team.
Where once it attracted derision and scorn, Southgate’s side has become a source of pride.
“The fact the team have connected back with our fans is the most pleasing aspect of the last few years,” he said as he prepared his players at St George’s Park.
Under Southgate the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jadon Sancho and Declan Rice have all been fast-tracked into the first team, while Chelsea’s Mason Mount made his full debut against Bulgaria last month and team-mate Fikayo Tomori is in the current squad.
Another of Chelsea’s youth brigade, Tammy Abraham, is in line to earn his first competitive cap following a superb start to the season in which he has scored eight Premier League goals.
With the climax of next year’s tournament being staged in England there is genuine belief that Southgate’s men can surpass their performance in Russia last year. –
BBC. – Reuters