GEOFF HURST’S EIGHT-TRICK HEROES
England World Cup legend confident that Southgate’s young Lions can make the quarter-finals in Russia.. at least!
SIR GEOFF HURST insists Gareth Southgate’s new Golden Generation can help England get back to being a quarter-final team.
England’s last two major tournaments have ended in disaster and humiliation as they failed to get out of the group in the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil and were knocked out by Iceland at Euro 2016 in France.
But World Cup hero Hurst has been impressed by Southgate and he says the new kids on the block – featuring a raft of young Tottenham talent – can ensure they do much better in Russia.
England became used to reaching the latter stages of tournaments – making it to last eight in 2002, 2004 and 2006 – with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and David Beckham.
England boss Southgate, whose team entertain Brazil tomorrow in a Bobby Moore Fund international, knows progress next summer will depend on the draw on December 1 in the Kremlin but Hurst has high expectations for the current squad.
Hurst said: “Quarter-finals and beyond is where you would hope to be with the players we’ve got, playing in a tough league in the Premier League. Quarter-finals and beyond. Getting out of the group should be a given.
“What’s been disappointing, in the last World Cup, we were two games and out. The team and the players are better than that. Quarter-final and beyond is what you must be looking for with the quality of players we’ve got.
“You never know what will happen when we reach a major tournament but the last two have been so disappointing that, providing we see some progression when we get there in Russia, then it’s been positive.
“There is a group of four or five exciting players coming through at Spurs, and the way they play football, which is how we want to play in the squad, you couldn’t wish for more. “We’ve got good, young and progressive players, as many as we’ve had for some time. With the quality of players in the squad, it looks very encouraging. We shouldn’t have any worries. “But I’m confident, going into the tournament, that we’ll have a good one in Russia and I’m also convinced about Gareth Southgate.”
Hurst, the hat-trick hero of English football’s greatest triumph in 1966 against West Germany, admits that he still cannot understand why they failed so badly at the last two tournaments – particularly against Iceland.
“It’s just difficult to assess the game against Iceland as to how we could play that poorly,” he said.
“It’s a mindset thing. It’s not down to the quality of players. I’ve been
concerned – going back a few years now – about quality coming through but going into the last tournament, the quality was terrific.
“Going into the tournament, we were confident and you have to be confident as players, fans, and I always think England will do well.
“I’m not brilliant at being able to understand how we can be as poor as we were against Iceland. But I think Gareth is making good progress. I’m not fond of foreign managers being in charge. I’m of the opinion that it’s good to have an English guy, I think that’s progression and he has handled himself well.
“I like the way he answers questions in press conferences, and he speaks well and with passion for his country.
“He handles the press with great professionalism and expertise.”