We want the players to feel the enthusiasm they’ve had since they were kids, says Southgate
GARETH Southgate will tell England’s players to embrace their opportunity in Qatar to make this the best period in the national team’s history.
The Three Lions fly to the Gulf today to ramp up their bid to replicate Sir Alf Ramsey’s heroes and win the World Cup, having last summer reached a first major men’s final since that 1966 triumph.
Southgate’s side went on to lose the European Championship final to Italy on penalties and the mood has darkened since then due to a winless Nations League campaign that ended in relegation.
England expects and the pressure has built on the manager, but his only focus is increasing a sense of anticipation and excitement about what they can achieve in Qatar.
“With the players we want to talk to them about the excitement of going to a World Cup,” said Southgate, who led the side to the semi-finals in 2018.
“I think we understand the need to comment on the off-field things that surround this tournament, but we want the players to feel that enthusiasm that they’ve had since kids. “That struck me when I was speaking to them over the last few days, for better or worse, about going to a World Cup and what it means. We want to fuel that. “The first couple of days we won’t be on the training pitch bar a couple that will need to do something. We just want them to transition from a hectic club schedule to thinking about England.
“We want to talk to them about the fact that this, whatever happens over the next four weeks, has been the second best period for English football. We can make it the best.”
The Qatar World Cup kicks off with Qatar vs Ecuador on Sunday, with England playing their first match against Iran on Monday.