Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England national football team, has advised his players to ignore the criticism from external sources and focus on their own performances. He also revealed that he is his own harshest critic. This comes in response to comments made by former player Gary Lineker on his podcast, where Lineker described England’s performance against Denmark as “s***”. Southgate claimed to be unaware of these comments, stating that he does not pay attention to external opinions.
Southgate emphasized that what matters to him is guiding his players through the challenges of the tournament with confidence. As a high-profile team with high expectations, they understand that everything they do will be scrutinized. He believes that engaging with external criticism will not help them improve as a team. Instead, he focuses on being self-critical, and he expects the same from his players.
The England manager acknowledged that there will always be external noise and criticism, but he emphasized that it should not affect them. He believes that performance is what truly matters and that they are the only ones who can deliver better performances on the pitch. Southgate highlighted the importance of being honest with themselves about their strengths and weaknesses as a team.
Looking ahead to England’s final group stage match against Slovenia, Southgate indicated that he is unlikely to make many changes to the starting lineup. However, it has been reported by The Athletic that right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will be replaced by Conor Gallagher in midfield. When asked about tactical and personnel changes, Southgate remained tight-lipped, stating that he wouldn’t go into detail when the opposition is listening. He understands that ultimately, his performance as a manager will be judged based on how the team plays.
In conclusion, Gareth Southgate’s message to his players is clear: block out the external noise and focus on their own performances. He believes that self-criticism and honesty are key to improvement. As England prepares for their final group stage match, Southgate remains confident in his approach and is ready to be judged based on the team’s performance on the pitch.