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Before England honored 1966 World Cup champion Sir Bobby Charlton at Wembley, Gareth Southgate shared a video of him with his team.
The passing of Charlton at the age of 86 on October 21 was felt globally, as he was a highly esteemed figure both for his club and his country.
On Monday, Southgate attended Charlton’s funeral at Manchester Cathedral. Additional tributes will be given to the legendary figure of England and Manchester United at Wembley on Friday evening.
The upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying game against Malta will mark the senior men’s team’s first match since the passing of Charlton. To honor his life, a crowd mosaic and video tribute will be included in the event.
Before the match, there will be a ceremony where the players will pay tribute to a man who held great significance in English football. The team was reminded of his impact earlier this week.
“We have focused on discussing our team’s identity with our players,” stated England manager Southgate.
Understanding the background of our team and recognizing the exceptional talent of previous England national players is a crucial aspect.
There were many messages sent to all players, but the most noteworthy was from an exceptional player and individual.
Sir Bobby Charlton was discussed by Gareth Southgate.
This week, we were able to do that. On the first day of our arrival, we shared some video footage of Sir Bobby with the team.
Just a friendly reminder that even a Liverpool player (such as Trent Alexander-Arnold who is sitting next to me) recognizes the significance of Bobby’s contributions to English football.
It is possible to have a successful club career as well as an international career.
Sometimes, there may be conflicts between the responsibilities of club managers and the needs of international teams. This can create challenging situations for players.
Your international team will always be there and winning with them is likely the biggest experience you will have.
“There were many messages sent to all of the players, but the most important one was for an exceptional player and an exceptional man.”
Southgate has emphasized the significance and significance of representing England during his tenure, with the training ground at St George’s Park being renamed in honor of Charlton in 2017.
Since initially assuming the role in October 2016 on a temporary basis, the previous defender has effectively improved performances and reconnected with fans, resulting in an impressive turnaround.
The game took place at home against Malta, and now the small team from the Mediterranean will be returning to Wembley for the first time since then for their Euro 2024 qualifying match on Friday.
England has guaranteed advancement with two games remaining and can potentially secure their spot as one of the top teams by winning on Friday. However, criticism towards Southgate is always looming.
“The truth is, no matter how well we perform tomorrow, people will simply dismiss it because it’s against a lower ranked opponent,” he chuckled.
Everyone has their own opinions. I’m exhausted from constantly trying to defend against them.
”
Ultimately, the outcome will be what it is. Therefore, I will allow our achievements and actions to speak for themselves.
As a football manager, it is impossible to please everyone, so the most effective approach is to continue winning matches.
Southgate will lead England in their last home game of 2023 without several important players. Five have pulled out, two have been absent for some of this week, and three new players have been added to the team.
Rico Lewis, Cole Palmer, and Ezri Konsa are all eagerly anticipating their first appearance, while players like Anthony Gordon are still waiting for their chance.
Newcastle’s 22-year-old player has had a successful season and there are rumors that Scotland is considering inviting him to join their team, after he won the European championship with the England Under-21 team.
“He’s a good player,” Southgate said. “He was very good with our Under-21s last year. He’s very close, I have to say.
I admire his demeanor and strong work ethic for the team.
While it’s possible he was anticipating a call at this time, there are skilled players performing effectively in that particular position on the field.
“I believe that, similar to some others, they should constantly consider future possibilities and opportunities.”
I believe that it is highly achievable for someone like Anthony to join our team.
Source: independent.co.uk
