The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Gelling as team is the key for Gazza
Paul Gascoigne hopes the England players will gel as a team at the World Cup – rather than just counting on one of them to make the difference in Qatar.
Gareth Southgate’s squad open the campaign against Iran and will then take on the United States before meeting Wales in the final Group B fixture.
Gascoigne reflected on his own World Cup experience 32 years ago in Italia 90: Four Weeks That Changed The World, which will air on Sky Documentaries from tomorrow.
Tottenham midfielder Gascoigne had never started a competitive international, so he was something of a controversial selection when he made Sir Bobby Robson’s squad.
Gascoigne, though, took centre stage in Italy as England built momentum from a slow start to go on and reach the semi-finals, where they were beaten on penalties by West Germany in Turin.
The likes of James Maddison, Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka will all be hoping to make an impact in Qatar.
Gascoigne feels it will be important how well they can all work together as a unit which will determine how far the Three Lions can go.
“We have got some quality players there (in the squad), but we are talking now individual players,” Gascoigne said.
“You have got to look at a team player – I was fortunate, because in 1990 and then at Euro 96, we were a team.
“Today’s teams have got quite a few individual players, but it is whether you gel together, that is more important than anything else.
“In 1990, I was so proud of the players that didn’t play because when we scored, they were all up celebrating.
“There was nobody who sulked if they were not playing.
“Some of them went there and never got a game, but they were still behind us, which is what the players are going to need more than anything.
“I was just 23 and the other players were coming into their prime, like Bryan Robson, John Barnes, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley, Gary Lineker, Terry Butcher, Peter Shilton and Stuart Pearce – they were unbelievable.
“I was fortunate to be amongst all them and they just let me get on and enjoy myself, and of course Bobby Robson was a brilliant manager.”