Southgate: Euro planning is tough
ENGLAND boss Gareth Southgate says his preparations for Euro 2020 have been made harder by the condensed Premier League season.
The European Championship is being played this summer, having been cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With the domestic season starting and finishing later than normal, England players will have little time to prepare for the tournament, with just 10 days between the final Premier League game and a warm-up friendly with Austria.
Southgate has vowed to ensure his squad get proper mental and physical rest, but says it will be harder than usual.
“The tournaments are always at the end of a busy season,” he said. “This has been slightly more intense by a couple of weeks and, of course, there wasn’t a bigger break at the end of last season.
“It has definitely been more challenging for everybody.
“But we have to make sure our schedule of training and the demands we ask on our players gives them the chance to psychologically refresh as well as make sure we are in the best physical condition.”
With three months to go until the tournament, the logistics are still to be finalised, with games due to be hosted in 12 cities around the continent.
Plans are not expected to be set until next month, giving Southgate another issue to contend with.
“We have to keep making sure we are on track for our broader planning of hotels, training grounds, everything we do medically,” he said.
“We are constantly having to review
that, it is at least weekly. Things do change, but things change quickly for everybody at the moment.
“We have had to be adaptable, we will have to continue to be adaptable and I don’t see that changing. I feel like we are heading in a good direction and there is more enthusiasm and possibility of some fans in stadiums for certain matches and let’s hope we stay on track towards that goal.
“We have just got prepared to be whatever comes our way.”
England are due to play their three group games at Wembley, as well as a possible semi-final and final, and doing well could have an untold positive impact on the grassroots game in the country.
Southgate says his players are aware of their opportunity to inspire a new generation of football fans.
“Part of the privilege of representing England is to inspire young people,” he added.
“The lads playing now have got that opportunity now to inspire kids all across the country and especially across the areas they grew up in.”