Gareth Southgate stood defiantly in the face of severe fan fury after claiming he “understands” England supporter's complaints.
The Three Lions secured the top spot in Group C of Euro 2024 on Tuesday evening. Their performances have been turgid though - their latest coming in the form of a dire 0-0 draw with Slovenia.
Southgate’s men were less than convincing, which led to fans responding with boos at both half-time and full-time. Some also chose to throw cups at the England boss.
But he chose to react by acknowledging the Three Lions’ fans who had made the trip to Cologne. Southgate continued to applaud those in the stands as he and the players left the pitch.
He then responded in his post-match interview by claiming he knows why England fans are reacting the way they are. As quoted by ITV, he said: "I thought we were much improved with the ball.
Singh Gill to make history as Premier League's first Sikh-Punjabi official
“We have created some good openings and at the moment it is hard work for us. We are not quite getting that break in front of goal. I think the players who came on did well.
“I understand the reactions but it is a tough environment. We tried to win the game by the changes we made. We put attacking players on the pitch."
He added: "I understand the narrative towards me. That's better for the team than it being towards them. But it's creating an unusual environment to operate in. I've not seen any other team qualify and receive similar."
Gareth Southgate points at fans after the 0-0 draw with Slovenia (Getty Images)Who was England's man-of-the-match vs Slovenia? Share your thoughts in the comments below
England now head into the last 16 on the kinder half of the bracket having managed to avoid Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. But Southgate claims he is not even looking at potential opponents while also defending his underperforming side.
He added: "We have got to play well and whoever we play is going to be a really tough game. We shouldn't be seduced by which half of the draw.
“So many things are starting to come together. We had a lot of issues before the tournament. I think the way the defence has played has been a huge positive and something to build on. We created chances but we just have to convert those chances."
England defender John Stones also spoke after the draw with Slovenia and could also sympathise with supporters. The Manchester City star said: "The objective was to top the group and we have done that - it is not always going to be an easy road. It is not going to be easy when we have a target on our back to beat us.
"I thought there was a lot of improvement from the other two games, we found people in the pockets and created more chances - another step in the right direction. I can get the fans frustration not taking chances, but that is football - it is never an easy game."
and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our
Marcus Rashford handed new challenge by Erik ten Hag to ensure Man Utd success
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
