SQUAD GAMES Southgate: FIFA must drop cruel three-man guillotine
GARETH SOUTHGATE is hoping to be spared his worst nightmare as England boss at this year’s World Cup.
In a repeat of what happened in last year’s Euros because of Covid, FIFA are expected to confirm nations can name 26-man squads for the Qatar tournament – rather than the traditional 23.
But England boss Southgate took part in an unanimous vote among the coaches to tweak the rules if that happens this time – and stop three players per game being left totally out in the cold.
In the Euros, teams had the 26-man squad option, but only 23 were actually allowed to get changed into their kit – and Southgate admitted that picking the three to shut out was his toughest decision.
Southgate said: “What everyone is saying is that if the squads are going to be bigger it needs to be a situation where everybody is able to change on a match day. That was unanimous in the room.
“Whether a bigger squad is necessary… originally that was for Covid, there’s now people talking about the condensed fixtures.
“I still think it’s a bigger skill to pick a 23.
“But that decision will be made and I suspect it will be 26. In that case I think everybody has to be available for all the games.”
England face a scenario where there will be just eight days from when the Premier League breaks up on November 13 to their opening game on November 21.
World Cup organisers did not announce the full list of which games will be played where because they want to put the bigger games in the biggest stadiums and, in a country the size of Yorkshire, they will also have to keep some rivalries and fans apart.
It will be a different experience for Three Lions fans and the players’ families. Several of the England players’ parents – Harry Kane’s dad among them – flew to Doha this past week to check accommodation, with many families set to stay on luxury boats on the harbour rather than the allocated hotels.
The moored ships – Poesia and the MSC World Europa – will be just 10 minutes from England’s team hotel.
The boats start at £135-a-night per person and go up to £260-anight with all-inclusive booze, luxury pools, bars, nightclubs and facilities on board.
The temperatures have been around 30 degrees this week but it is likely to be slightly cooler in November. When Liverpool played in Doha in the Club World Cup in December 2019 a jumper was needed in the evenings. Contrary to the popular myth, booze is easily available in bigger hotels and there are plans to sell alcohol in fan parks.
There will be campsites in the desert to allow “glamping”, but organisers are discussing the possibility of only allowing fans with tickets to fly to Doha to stop the city being swamped. Constant road works and building works are everywhere in the rush to be ready.
England will stay in the modest Souq Al-Wakra hotel in the fishing village of Al Wakrah 10 miles south of Doha with their training pitch just a five minute drive away.
Southgate and No.2 Steve Holland chose it after a visit for the Club World Cup in 2019.
It is not the five-star luxury the players are used to. It has an outside courtyard, but no pool.
Contrary to popular myth, booze is easily
available...