...as Conor insists: I’m not here to make up numbers

IT TAKES a lot to change Conor Coady’s positive demeanour, but twice in the space of 10 minutes that happened. One came after he was asked about his role within the England squad. Coady, thriving after his summer loan to Everton, didn’t play a minute at Euro 2020, so the inquiry revolved around what a player does to be a positive influence on tour.

‘He’s just called me a tourist, hasn’t he?’ he replied. ‘I don’t think of myself as that. I think of myself as a player who has come here to do my best to help as much as I possibly can. I want to push everyone. ‘What are you going to do? Come here, sit and sulk and go back to your room? Or are you going to try to push people? That’s all I am going to do. I won’t change that attitude or way of playing.’ That attitude and relentless commitment have won him 10 caps and there is an argument that he could start on Monday against Iran, when England begin their World Cup.

His form has been solid since he arrived at Goodison and he will not let anyone down. With Kyle Walker not fit yet, Coady could slot into a back three, as Gareth Southgate looks to solve the issues that have hampered his defence. The numbers do not lie. During 2021, England played 19 matches and kept 14 clean sheets. They only conceded five goals over 1,770 minutes, and one of those was a spectacular free-kick from Denmark’s Mikkel Damsgaard. Building up to Qatar, however, problems have arisen — two clean sheets in eight matches and 10 goals shipped. If they continue to be so porous they will not get very far, but this brought a second robust opinion from Coady (below). ‘We have looked in the past at teams who have won tournaments and they concede very few,’ he said and he is right. Italy (two in 2006), Spain (three in 2010) and Germany (four in 2014) are evidence of that. France (six in 2018) were an exception to the rule. ‘It’s important we focus on that side of our game because that is what we have been good at,’ Coady continued. ‘I don’t think we’re far away. We’ve played some fantastic teams in the last few months.

‘The Euros was huge for us in terms of how we defended as a team, not just a back four. The whole unit, the whole 11, was so, so big. We’re talking about that again.

‘We know what it takes to get to the final of a major competition and we’re making sure we take that on board to go into the first game. We’ve got to get back to it.’ There are big calls for Southgate to make, not least with Harry Maguire, who has never let him down at a tournament but has been inconsistent for Manchester United. Has there been any sign of a hangover in Qatar? Again, Coady got on the front foot. ‘I’ve known him since he was a kid at Sheffield United,’ he said. ‘He gets a lot of stick but I don’t think it’s warranted. ‘He’s a fantastic player, he’s ready, we all are. We can’t wait

for it.’