SOUTHGRATE Three Lions boss and his players fear they w i ll NEVER win over the fa n s
GARETH SOUTHGATE claims England fans will never love him.
And his players admit they are struggling to keep supporters onside despite reaching the World Cup finals.
Boss Southgate, who missed a crucial penalty against Germany at Euro 96, said: “The fans might find it difficult to find much love for me with my history with England!
“I’ve managed to shoulder that for 20 years. My job, my first objective, was to get the country to a World Cup finals, then
make the team as good as we possibly can, and that’s what I intend to do.”
He added, ironically: “Although I’m not certain, I’m standing here thinking, ‘Wow, isn’t it brilliant to have qualified for a World Cup, I’m feeling all the love’. But I get it, I get it.
“I go back to picking up the consequences of decades of disappointment.
“This group are nowhere near as experienced as most of those teams.
“The hope is people get behind them and give them a chance.”
But bored spectators threw paper planes around Wembley Stadium on Thursday before leaving early as Southgate’s team struggled to break down Slovenia.
Harry Kane’s late goal clinched qualification with a game to spare and England unbeaten in the group.
The final game is in Lithuania tomorrow, and the players are aware belief in the team is ebbing away.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart said: “I’m an England fan too. I understand how people feel. It’s our job to change that.
“The only way to do that is by doing well at a tournament.”