FORTUNE FAVOURS GARETH’S BRAVES

THEY returned to the dressing room expecting a hero’s welcome from Gareth Southgate. Instead the England boss merely congratulated his players with a gentle pat on the back before talking about the next game. Southgate does not want wins over big nations to feel particularly special.

It was typical of the Three Lions coach, who rarely does the expected in his quest to drive England forward.

We all questioned his sanity when he claimed England had the players to play attractive, possession-based football like Spain. The questioners have fallen silent now, though. Southgate insists upon making brave calls, like drafting in 18-year-old Jadon Sancho, changing the formation to a back four, or thrusting Harry Winks into England’s midfield in Spain. But he says he has to be fearless if he is going to ask his players to do the same. “We’re asking the players to be fearless and, if we’re asking that, you’ve got to embody that as a leader,” he said. “But I wouldn’t pick them if I didn’t think they could play. Then you’ve got to give them belief, and I think that belief is starting to come. I think for the young players it’s a really comfortable environment in that other players make them feel so welcome.

“After the game the other night (in Croatia), Raheem Sterling went straight over to Jadon in the dressing room to congratulate him on his first cap. It would be very easy for him to think ‘actually he’s competition for me’ but in training on Sunday he was passing advice onto him and that embodies the spirit of the group.”

Even after Monday’s impressive win in Seville (above) – the first time Spain had conceded three at home – Southgate believes his team can play better. “We won’t get carried away because we weren’t perfect,” he said. “We let in two really poor goals so there are areas we could improve. And we could have scored more if our decision-making had been crisper.

“We wanted to play out (from the back) and they were brave enough to keep doing it, To play out of the press that Spain put on you. We know the technical ability of some of the young players coming through our system so it is possible to play that way.

“If you don’t have the players with that technique, then you can’t. But we believe we have and then it is about the mentality to go out and do it – and they really showed that mentality.”