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Gareth Southgate maintains that he is considering the possibility of continuing with England after Euro 2024 this season.
The individual, who is 53 years old, has a contract that runs until December. They are aware that they may not be in their current position when England competes in Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland, Greece, and Finland in the fall.
He maintains that he has not yet made a definite decision and is still considering the option of continuing to work with England’s talented players, including the prominent Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid.
“Many coaches may not remain in their positions after the Euros. This is a common occurrence in international football,” he stated during the draw held in Paris.
“I am eager to see how the summer plays out. It’s really that straightforward. From my perspective, I am confident in our potential accomplishments during the summer. I have set my own standards for success, and beyond that, I am not dwelling on anything else.”
It is undoubtedly thrilling to lead the team, regardless of the team’s abilities. Ultimately, our goal is to perform well and make decisions that benefit everyone. However, I will not be able to make those decisions until the tournament begins.
Although it is likely that Bellingham will remain a part of the team unless he gets injured, there are other players who will have a tougher battle to secure their spot.
Recently, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford made news for taking an unauthorized trip to Belfast. Southgate emphasizes that all his players are being observed both on and off the playing field.
“We are currently five weeks away from finalizing our team, but a lot can change for players between November and March. As a result, we are constantly watching and evaluating their performance both on and off the field.”
The most recent competitive match between England and the Republic was during a Euro 92 qualifying game at Wembley. Niall Quinn scored a goal to equalize, after Lee Dixon had opened the scoring.
A 1995 exhibition game at Lansdowne Road was forced to end prematurely due to disruptions from the audience. The most recent encounter between the teams occurred in a friendly match in November 2020.
Without Declan’s presence over the past four years, I am unsure of how we would have managed.
Declan Rice, a midfielder from England, participated in three senior matches for the Republic before deciding to represent England. Another player, Jack Grealish from Manchester City, also played for the Republic in youth competitions.
Southgate praised Declan, stating that he was unsure of where the team would be without him over the past four years. He expressed gratitude for Declan’s contributions.
Marc Canham, director of football for the Football Association of Ireland, expressed his thoughts on the draw, stating that it is challenging but also thrilling. He also mentioned the excitement of playing against England again after a long time.
This presents a wonderful chance for our players and team, as well as our incredible fans. It will be an experience they can eagerly anticipate.
Group B4 will consist of Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, and Turkey.
Rob Page, manager of Wales, stated that they are familiar with Turkey’s style of play as they faced each other in the Euro qualifiers last year. While there are no easy matches in international football, if they had the opportunity to choose their opponent, they would have likely chosen Turkey.
We have no intention of disrespecting them, but we want to ensure the best possible chance for ourselves.
Scotland, led by Steve Clarke, will be facing Croatia, Portugal, and Poland in Group A1.
Northern Ireland, led by Michael O’Neill, have been placed in Group C3 for their upcoming matches against Luxembourg, Bulgaria, and Belarus.
O’Neill believes that the upcoming games will be beneficial for our young team. It will serve as a challenge for them to grow and improve as international players.
The preliminary round will occur from September to October, followed by the League A quarter-finals and promotion/relegation play-offs in March 2025.
In June 2025, there will be a single-leg semifinal and a final.
Source: independent.co.uk
