When Gareth Southgate walked into the Wembley dressing room after England’s win over Ukraine, part of his message was more emotional than tactical. I said to the players: I love being part of this team.' Because they are exceptional to work with," he explained.
It was the more remarkable because Southgate could have relinquished his part in the team. In his previous match at Wembley, England went 2-0 down to Germany. An awful Nations League campaign was prompting Southgate to walk away after the World Cup. Instead, they fought back to draw 3-3 with their old rivals, were one of the better teams in Qatar and have made a terrific start to Euro 2024 qualifying. A fourth tournament cycle under Southgate seems certain to bring a fourth tournament.
England have regained the upbeat feel they lost in the troubled summer of 2022. Part of Southgate's success has been in restoring the bond between players and supporters, in engendering a team spirit where previous England sides had been riven by factions or less than the sum of their parts. He enjoyed the grit they demonstrated to hang on to victory in Italy. "Although we weren't satisfied with the second-half performance, the resilience shown when we battled with 10 men, I think the public will respond to that," he said.
This story is from the March 29, 2023 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 29, 2023 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What will Netanyahu do with geopolitical dividend?
Iran has been good for Benjamin Netanyahu over his long and successful political career. Israel’s prime minister has never been backward in blaming the ayatollahs for a myriad of ills, and bemoaning that the West was not seeing the full danger from Tehran.
PM in call for restraint after Iran's 'dangerous escalation'
Rishi Sunak has doubled down on Britain’s backing for Israel after Iran’s unprecedented” attack but urged all sides to show restraint” amid fears the Middle East crisis could spiral out of control.
Heseltine highlights plight of suspects waiting in limbo
Comments follow Independent report that tens of thousands of people are waiting years to find out if they will be charged
Can the Rwanda scheme be expanded to other nations?
Britain has begun talks with several other countries about replicating the government’s controversial scheme to deport migrants to Rwanda.
'I was the one with the luck'
Salman Rushdie addresses his attacker in frank memoir Shty
Rushdie's sardonic memoir is not for the faint-hearted
‘Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder’ details the attempt on the writer’s life in 2022, writes Martin Chilton. Its humour belies the pain of a profoundly wounded man
Baby death due to 'selfish, toxic' parents, court hears
The baby daughter of Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon died after she was caught in the middle of their “toxic and self-absorbed” relationship, a court has heard.
RAC wants hard shoulders back on 'deadly' motorways
The government has been urged to reinstate hard shoulders on Britain’s smart motorways after being accused of wasting money on the now cancelled projects.
Dozens of potential jurors dismissed from Trump trial
Dozens of potential jurors were dismissed by the judge in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial yesterday after saying they could not impartially decide whether the former US president is guilty or innocent of criminal charges.
Inside the first criminal trial of a United States president
In the weeks after he descended his beloved golden escalator from Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue to announce his presidential campaign in 2015, Donald Trump would arrange a scheme to bury compromising stories of his affairs to clear his path to the White House.
