FOOTBALL’S COMING HOME
Euros in England will give us huge chance of winning it... AND a great excuse to party all summer
PLAYING the European Championships on home soil could hand England a priceless advantage — and hand the country an excuse to party like it was 1996.
That’s the view of Darren Anderton, who was part of the England side that reached the last four 25 years ago, missing out on a place in the final in heartbreaking fashion against Germany.
That defeat on penalties – with current boss Gareth Southgate missing the crucial kick – remains the closest England have got to a Euros final.
Although it maintained England’s record of never having lost a match in normal time while hosting a major tournament.
Sir Alf Ramsey’s side did not taste defeat at the 1966 World Cup, while Terry Venables’ men won two and drew three of their matches at the Euros 30 years later.
UEFA are yet to decide on whether the 12-venue format will remain in the light of rising Covid infection rates across Europe.
But England is seen as being the ideal location for the tournament if the European football governing body decides to switch to a single country competition.
If that happens, then a continuation of that unbeaten home record might make 2021 a year to remember after all.
“It’s a massive advantage,” said Anderton (below).
“Obviously if you don’t start well then it can be a hindrance –we got battered in our first game (a 1-1 draw with Switzerland) but once we beat Scotland it was the best summer ever. The atmosphere, the people, the supporters – everything about it was incredible.
“All the England games, I assume, would be played at Wembley and you can’t really ask for anything more than that.
“We’ve got so many good young players and it’s a massive opportunity.
“At a time when the whole country needs cheering up, it could be just about perfect.”
With Anderton playing alongside the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Paul Ince and Steve McManaman back in Euro ’96, England started the tournament slowly.
But after that draw with the Swiss and a 2-0 defeat of Scotland at Wembley, their campaign went into overdrive with a 4-1 thumping of the Netherlands under the famous Twin Towers.
A win on penalties against Spain handed England a place in the last four before Germany ruthlessly dispatched them on spot kicks to end a summer that
We’ve got so many good young players and this is a
massive opportunity
The whole country needs cheering up right now and
this would be perfect
saw football oh so close to coming home.
There will be no shortage of representation from Anderton’s old club, Spurs, when Gareth Southgate’s side restart their quest for a first major trophy in 55 years this summer.
And with Jesse
Lingard having worked his way back into the squad following a series of sparkling displays for West Ham, he has reason to hope that Dele Alli (with
Jose Mourinho, right) can also force his way back into England reckoning before the season is out.
“We all want to see the Dele Alli from two to three years ago, of course we do,” said Anderton.
“There are so many good young players around now but it wasn’t so long ago that I thought he would be one of the first names on the team sheet for the next 10 years.
“It just goes to show how quickly things can change.
“He just needs to carry on doing the right things and doing the things that got him to that level in the first place.”
Alli could certainly do with more minutes under his belt domestically for that to happen. But as the clock ticks down to the start of the tournament, the race for places is on.
And as Anderton and his teammates proved all those years ago, for whoever is picked, it could be the chance of a lifetime.