Southgate wants skipper role to be less high-profile

GARETH SOUTHGATE wants to move away from the personality cult that has developed around the England captaincy since David Beckham got the job 17 years ago.

He’s already said that Wayne Rooney is no longer an automatic choice as skipper but his plan is to take that idea much further.

Southgate is concerned the team’s high-profile players – and the armband-wearer in particular – have been shouldering an unfair share of the burden of two decades of collective failure.

Ahead of facing Germany in the Dortmund friendly next Wednesday, the England boss wants his tenure to be characterised by a more communal approach to responsibility.

“I’m not sure that the job became more important with David. But I sensed there was a bigger focus on certain elements of it,” he says.

“I don’t want that to be seen as a criticism of David because his world is so different and he carries a different profile.

“But I’m very conscious that it’s the same for Wayne. His whole life is so high profile that it does then bring additional focus.

“At the moment, there is a danger that the rest of the team can slip under the radar when it comes to responsibility and accountability

“Over the last couple of years it’s been one or two high-profile individuals who have had to carry that can and got it in the neck when things haven’t gone well. That’s not healthy for a strong team.

“I understand the responsibility and status that comes with the captaincy but you want players to make key interventions and step forward at the right times.

“If you’ve only got one leader you’re in trouble. There is a danger when all the responsibility gets heaped on one person.

“I feel that’s happened with Wayne. He’s borne a lot of the burden for the team over a period of time and that responsibility needs to be shared more.

“It’s something we’ve talked about across all of our teams. The key is having a leadership group of players who set the culture of how everybody works.”

While acknowledging the possibility that Rooney can again be the squad’s leader, Southgate also insists that he won’t be swayed by the player’s desire to win the seven caps that will make him his country’s record holder.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll be highly motivated to make that happen,” he says. “But it’s down to how well he plays.

“I have to make tough calls. I don’t think Wayne expects sentimentality to come into those decisions.

“I think a physically fit team is crucial, especially going into a tournament – summer months, intensity of games, pressure, quick turnaround of matches. That physical element has to come into the selection.

“If we don’t have competition at a level that’s needed we’re going to struggle. I’m not individualising that. It applies to everybody.

“If we’re just here to keep the players happy and not to rock the boat, we won’t get a winning team.

“Maybe there are going to be some uncomfortable conversations for me. But I’m here to win.”