sport news Gareth Southgate sends out rallying cry ahead of England's last game before the ... trends now

sport news Gareth Southgate sends out rallying cry ahead of England's last game before the ... trends now
sport news Gareth Southgate sends out rallying cry ahead of England's last game before the ... trends now

sport news Gareth Southgate sends out rallying cry ahead of England's last game before the ... trends now

Gareth Southgate must have thought he had exorcised the ghost of Germany just over a year ago.

Of all the highlights of English football's 2021 summer of love, his team's 2-0 win over the Germans at Wembley in the last 16 of the European Championship stands out.

Finally, Southgate had another reference point than the penalty missed on that same plot of land against the toughest opponent of all 25 years earlier.

England's under-fire manager Gareth Southgate spoke of the importance of togetherness

England's under-fire manager Gareth Southgate spoke of the importance of togetherness 

But here we are again. England and their manager are in a little trouble and certainly under pressure as the World Cup looms against a backdrop of poor form and results.

On Monday night, as Southgate's England prepare to say farewell to their public ahead of Qatar 2022, Germany are the opposition again. For England the game is a Nations League dead rubber. They will finish bottom of their group whatever happens.

But this is a game that means much more than that. All 90,000 tickets were sold back when England were much fancied to have a real run at the World Cup. Now the mood has changed and if England tank again, there will be plenty of people around to tell them exactly how they feel.

Victory over Germany at last year's European Championships was one of Southgate's biggest

Victory over Germany at last year's European Championships was one of Southgate's biggest

Hansi Flick's Germany have also struggled of late after a 1-0 loss to Hungary in Leipzig

Hansi Flick's Germany have also struggled of late after a 1-0 loss to Hungary in Leipzig

'Part of the reason we've been successful in tournaments has been the feeling of togetherness,' Southgate said frankly on Sunday night.

'We can't succeed with the fans against us, or you guys in the media not feeling warm towards us. It's harder if we're having to battle with the opposition and then battle with things on our own island as well.

'We don't want the team to be in that type of environment because it is much harder to succeed. Only we can rectify that by performances and results, but that's the desire.'

Southgate was booed by some England supporters in Milan on Friday night after a defeat that took his team's winless run to five games. That felt hard on a man who has delivered so much but would nevertheless pale by comparison to what he may receive if things go badly on Monday.

Now 52, Southgate has been involved with England long enough to know how it works. It felt strange to listen to him talk frankly about his own future on Sunday. It was only last summer that people were asking him who he would like to play him in a film about his life. It was only last autumn that he signed a new contract.

But Southgate is pragmatic. He knows the weight of expectation that comes with the job. He says that does not worry him — and he is believable on

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