Gareth Southgate names his squad for next month’s European qualifiers next week.
Watching England has, recently, been something of a chore. Through many dark periods, it has been hard to find inspiration to pull on the Three Lions shirt and cheer the national team. The last year changed that.
As Gareth Southgate prepares to name his squad for this month’s European qualifiers, the England camp buzzes with optimism. The last year has seen England become World Cup semi-finalists, UEFA Nation’s League semi-finalists and claim a momentous victory on Spanish turf. Southgate’s players can glance at the dugout with confidence. The supporters in the stands know their team is in capable hands. The divas of the national team are long gone. Now, they are team-mates, and friends.
They are not at the levels of France or Belgium just yet, but they are maturing. They will run the extra mile, and they will do so with a smile on their faces. England’s players are young and ambitious, but hold an admirable sense of humility which shows they are heading in the right direction.
The attacking prowess of Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford possess a cutting edge that the English forward line has lacked since the Shearer and Lineker era. The sight of Harry Kane bullying Sergio Ramos with his shrewd movement was a joy to watch.
“Southgate you’re the one” rings from the Wembley stands as supporters still glow in last summer’s success. England will respect their Czech opponents next week, quietly confident of winning all 10 games in qualifying as the optimism returns to Wembley.
England’s flowing football is a pleasure to watch, and with Euro 2020 just around the corner, there is a sense that football could truly come home.
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