Southgate plans home run

ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate wants to play World Cup warm-up matches around the country next year, rather than take the squad abroad as his predecessors did. Fabio Capello held camps in Austria and Germany before South Africa 2010, while Roy Hodgson took his team to Miami before the Brazil 2014 World Cup, although England played matches at home before heading to France for Euro 2016. Friendly opponents will be decided after the draw for the tournament in the Kremlin on December 1. England have friendlies against Germany and Brazil next month and matches against Holland and Italy have been pencilled in for March. England are expected to be based at the For Rest Mix Club outside St Petersburg during the finals.