GARETH’S KIDS WILL BE HITTING PRIME

WILL the European Championship being put back by a year benefit England? Harry Kane, you expect, will be fitter than he would have been this summer. young talents such as Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-odoi, and even marcus Rashford who is still only 22, will have gained another year of experience. But I prefer to look at which countries might consider this delay harmful to their chances of winning that competition, and november’s Euro 2020 qualifiers tell a story. The average age of Portugal’s XI was 28 years and 58 days. That included a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 36 by the time summer 2021 rolls round, so this will surely leave them at a disadvantage. Spain’s average was 28 years and 39 days, France’s 27 years and 331 days, with olivier Giroud approaching 35 next summer. Belgium’s XI was 27 years and 21 days, and Germany, Holland and Italy’s were all in the 26-year bracket. But then, some way off, we have England — 24 years and 71 days. That was the average age of the side who beat Kosovo 4-0. So maybe Gareth Southgate’s band of kids will be hitting their prime by the summer of 2021. This is all hypothetical, of course. Who knows what players will break on to the scene by then? This time last year, not too many of you may have known about Erling Braut Haaland. But now the 19-yearold norwegian is possibly the hottest young property in football. But certainly, as things stand, England can look at the silver lining from this unfortunate situation we all find ourselves in.