Southgate’s young lions to revive the spirit of ’96
MANY of Gareth Southgate’s England footballers weren’t born when Paul Gascoigne scored his spectacular goal against Scotland at Wembley in that heady summer of European Championship action 25 years ago.
The sun shone, ‘Three Lions’ blared from every radio, and a collective optimism swept through the land as England surged to the semi-finals.
The time has come for Southgate’s young squad to take hold of the delayed 2020 European Championships and evoke the spirit of Euro 96. After a year of unrelenting misery England needs something joyful to unify around.
You might think in the great scheme of things football doesn’t matter, and you would be right, but what better than football, the national obsession, to paint an invigorating face across a continent devastated by the coronavirus pandemic?
If that piles undeserved pressure on young shoulders, then Southgate’s squad possesses the talent and the resilience to cope with its tag as favourites with many bookmakers. Arguably, too much talent. How do you fit the undoubted attacking quality of Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish and Harry Kane into the same team?
It is an enviable dilemma but a tricky one. Grealish brings an exciting sense of the unexpected. Foden is perhaps the most naturally gifted midfielder to pull on an England shirt since Gascoigne, with balletic balance and a rare ability to ghost into space, often in the opposition’s penalty area. Sterling frightens defenders with his speed, but infuriates as often as he delivers.
Southgate has other crucial questions. Can he trust the gaffeprone John Stones and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in a defence that doesn’t always exude confidence?
Group D games against Czech Republic and Croatia are eminently winnable. And there is also the prospect of the highly-anticipated encounter against Scotland.
The intense rivalry which comes with the oldest international fixture makes it difficult to predict. England possess talent, Scotland determination, aggravated by a 25-year sore stretching back to that defeat against Gascoigne, Shearer, Sheringham and Co. at Euro 96. Emotions always run high in such matches and Scotland have players such as Aston Villa’s John McGinn and captain Andrew Robertson capable of turning a game with a moment of quality. Scotland manager Steve Clarke is a canny customer with a wealth of knowledge in the English game and the smart money is on the draw with tenacity neutralising talent, much as it did in their last fixture in 2017 when Kane’s stoppage-time equaliser rescued England in a 2-2 scoreline.
As the tournament evolves, however, England’s pace and Kane’s ability to produce match-winning goals on a regular basis – 12 of England’s 37 in qualifying – could prove crucial. Southgate also has the considerable advantage of playing games at Wembley, including the final should they get there.
As for Wales it is difficult to see Rob Page’s team emulating the heady days of 2016 when they lost to Portugal in the semi-finals. They face difficult matches against Switzerland and Turkey in Baku before travelling to Rome to face Italy. Much will depend on whether Gareth Bale is fit and can produce the match-winning moments he has supplied in the past.
The reality is that this delayed European Championship is perhaps the most open in the tournament’s history.
France, the World Cup holders, pose the biggest threat to England’s chances. Didier Deschamp’s squad oozes experience and Premier League class with Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, Manchester United’s Paul Pogba and Moussa Sissoko of Tottenham forming a powerful midfield. Their attacking prowess is also formidable, Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele and Paris St-Germain’s
Kylian Mbappe the pick of the forwards.
Germany have struggled recently but invariably produce their best in the heat of a tournament while Spain’s possession football will again be pleasing to the eye. Portugal are unfortunate to find themselves in Group F with France, Germany and Hungary while Belgium should ease their way out of Group B against Russia, Denmark and Finland.
There is an appealing balance about Belgium, the world’s No.1-rated team. Any side boasting stars such as Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, carries a threat, and if manager Roberto Martinez can find a solid defence they could go further than their semi-final appearance at the last World Cup.
But when the teams walk out for the final at Wembley on July 11 don’t be surprised if Kane is leading the way, resurrecting the spirit of 1996.
These European championships are not graced by one exceptional team, but Southgate’s side is young, fearless and talented, with a never-say-die quality that might just be enough to lift the trophy, along with the mood of a nation.
Southgate’s side is young, fearless and talented, with a never-say-die quality that might just be enough to lift the trophy, along with the mood of the nation