Coach Paul Simpson believes England’s hopes in the Under-20 World Cup, which begins on Saturday, have been improved by changing attitudes at club level“The game is important for us but I let the young boys leave for the under-20s before the end of the season because to play in a world championship is really good for their development” – Ronald Koeman, speaking before Everton’s final home game against Watford.The Everton manager made headlines last week by reiterating an ultimatum to Ross Barkley but none for allowing five other English talents to miss the final fortnight of the Premier League season to prepare for the Under-20 World Cup. It reflected a significant change in the relationship between Premier League clubs and the...
It is ridiculous to cast split loyalties as an issue of blame, an absence of old English backbone; to understand rather than bully is the only viable futureParallax error is the kind of thing one learns about in year five physics. It describes the way the same object can appear to have different qualities observed from different angles – like a measuring gauge, for example, or Arsenal’s talented teenage centre-forward Eddie Nketiah.“Arsenal wonderkid Eddie Nketiah nets hat-trick for England Under‑18s,” was the headline in one English newspaper after Nketiah’s fine performance against Qatar on Tuesday night. “England-born Ghanaian Eddie Nketiah scores on England debut,” was an alternative view from Ghanaweb.com after Nketiah had scored on his debut against Saudi Arabia...
Sunderland striker showed he has lost none of his sharpness or eye for goal to vindicate Gareth Southgate’s decision to recall him after three years awayThere was something very familiar about all this. The sight of a winger bustling to the byline and, even as he pulled the ball back across goal, being absolutely convinced the net would be billowing by the time his momentum had carried him on to the artificial turf ringing the pitch. Jermain Defoe tends to offer that calibre of reassurance, forever loitering as he does in enemy territory spanning the width of the posts, the six-yard box only ever a dart away, defenders constantly on edge. Cue that trademark celebration, arms stretched wide, as the...
Kyle Walker’s raids carry an impressive threat, Joe Hart fails to inspire confidence while the crowd show good humour after boorishness in GermanyGiven how low the bar was when Gareth Southgate came in, the first thing he had to achieve to be able to point to progress was avoid becoming embroiled in a national scandal or humiliation. It is thumbs up on that front for now and there is circumstantial evidence of progress beyond that. After an honourable defeat by an improvised Germany team, England showed against Lithuania just enough speed and clever movement to unhinge opponents who aspired to do nothing more than erect human barricades around their box from the first minute. Both goals were beauties but there...
Coach called on Jones to give his squad a lesson in winning before their match with Lithuania and his charges are learning the value of initiativeGareth Southgate handed the stage to the player at his side when it came down to dissecting more precisely the advice and guidance offered up by Eddie Jones on Friday night. The England rugby union coach had addressed the nation’s senior football squad back at their team hotel in Hertfordshire, his presentation devoid of PowerPoint slides or whiteboard bullet points. Players have a tendency to drift off on such occasions, staring blankly at the rat‑a‑tat of buzzwords, but the Australian apparently held the room.“We have taken massive inspiration from his work,” said Ryan Bertrand. “His...