I WON’T BOW TO PRESSURE FROM BIG CLUBS
GARETH SOUTHGATE has accused Premier League clubs of secretly putting pressure on England players to reduce their commitment to their country.
Tonight’s game against Iceland is meaningless in terms of the Nations League, but Southgate points out the clock is already ticking loudly ahead of the Euros next summer and plans to field his strongest side possible. The
Three Lions boss paid testimony to his players’ determination to play for their country, resisting what he describes as “the power game” put upon them by their club managers.
“There’s a power game the whole time and whether that is phone calls, messages, press conferences, we know everything that goes on,” Southgate said. “Players are under huge pressure from their clubs. That is going on in the background, for sure. That is the landscape whether it is made public or not.
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has already joked about hoping his friend ‘ Gary’ does not the likes of Harry Kane for friendlies and a disgruntled Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has had much to say on the string of injured players he is getting handed back. While Southgate is happy to tailor training to take it easy on players, the England manager is not about to compromise on his selection. “We have to build our squad and pick the strongest team that is available to us,” he said. “Added to that, the players want to play. They want to achieve personal landmarks. They want to win caps. They want to score.
“I understand the big picture. But it is not international football on its own which is causing the issue.”