England manager, Gareth Southgate, speaks on the forthcoming duel between the Three Lions and Super Eagles at Wembley and his fond love for Nigerian legends, Nwankwo Kanu and Austin Jay Jay Okocha in an interview with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.
England manager, Gareth Southgate, has spoken exclusively to The Nation about the choice of the Super Eagles for the prestige pre-FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 friendly against the Three Lions, to be played at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, 2nd June 2018.
The match will be only the third international match between both countries at senior level since Nigeria and England first clashed in a post -USA’94 World Cup game at the old Wembley Stadium on 16th November 1994. Former England captain David Platt scored the only goal of the game off a late first half header.
Both teams met again at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan on 12th June 2002 in a keenly-contested goalless encounter that saw the Super Eagles being eliminated at the group stage of the Korea/ Japan 2002 World Cup.
“We didn’t choose Nigeria (for the June 2 friendly match) just because we had an African team in our group at the World Cup finals (England are drawn against Tunisia, Panama and Belgium in Group G at Russia 2018),” the 47-year old Southgate told The Nation. “But the truth is that we don’t often have the opportunity of playing teams outside Europe and we thought it was a great opportunity playing against Nigeria.”
Such has been Southgate’s familiarity with Nigerian football and her footballers after watching some of the country’s best exports to the English Premier League (EPL) over the years.
He offered: “I was in the squad when we played them (Nigeria) in 2002 and there have been a lot of Nigerian players that have been successful in the Premier League. Like (Nwankwo) Kanu and (Austin) Jay Jay Okocha; both of them really made a great impact in our league and they are my favourite Nigerian players.”
Southgate is one of the few relatively young managers heading to Russia 2018 World Cup but he reckons the wisdom of coaching at the international level has nothing to do with ‘the age of Methuselah,’ insisting all that is required for such a high profile job as England manager is resilience.
“I’ve gone through the baptism that I could go through and you must be resilient to be involved in the game for 37 years as a player and manager,” said the England manager who starred for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough in a career spanning almost two decades.
A holder of the UEFA Pro Licence, Southgate has been in coaching since 2006 from Middlesbrough to the England U-21, to the Three Lions. He had a rough and tumble period at Middlesbrough where he was eased out in 2009. He was in-charge of the England Under-21 team and qualified the lads for the European Under-21 Championship in 2015 – where they were knocked out in the group stages after finishing last in their group. Southgate was put in temporary charge of the senior England team in 2016 when Sam Allardyce resigned after one game due to a ‘transfer bung’ scandal.
After some impressive results including a 2–0 win against Malta, goalless draw with Slovenia; 3-0 thrashing of Scotland 3–0 and a 2-2 draw against Spain; he was appointed substantive England manager on a four-year contract on 30 November 2016.
“I have devoted over 30 years to the game; though I’m one of the young managers on the international scene, but all the same I don’t think being 47 years of age is a big thing. It’s not about your age but your experience and resilience,” he noted in the interview with The Nation.
Meanwhile, Southgate has defended his 23-man England squad for the Russia 2018 World Cup following its announcement during the week.
On the list were EPL players popular with Nigerian football fans like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, amongst others.
“I believe this is a squad which we can be excited about,” Southgate said. “We have a lot of energy and athleticism in the team, but players that are equally comfortable in possession of the ball and I think people can see the style of play we’ve been looking to develop.
“It is a young group, but with some really important senior players so I feel the balance of the squad is good, both in terms of its experience, its character and also the positional balance.”
He added: “The selection process has been over months really, it’s not just been the last few weeks. We feel the team are improving and we want to continue that momentum.
“The first call up for Trent Alexander-Arnold is well deserved. When we pick young players, it’s not just because they are young, it’s because their performances deserve it.”
The quality of some of these players Southgate says would be well tested come June 2 at Wembley.
“We know that they (Nigeria) have great fantastic support in England and that would be a fantastic atmosphere; and a good test for us ahead of the World Cup finals.”
Your transition from being a footballer to a manager has been so smooth. What premonition did you have about your current job as England manager?
I don’t think it has been very smooth (general laughter); it has been a very complicated change because you are learning a whole new set of different skills. In terms of being a manager, it has been interesting by first taking on the England U-21 team and it’s a great grounding before becoming the manager; because most of the problem you face (as England manager) are similar to that of the U-21 team. Of course, the profile (of the England national team) is higher; taking up the junior team was a good preparation to be England manager.
Exactly, 20 years ago you featured for England at France’98. What are your memories of the tournament?
In general terms it was brilliant. It was a great experience to be involved as a kid because you want to play for your country in the World Cup and I still have the memory of running out for warm up for the first game. But then I got a bit of personal disappointment because I got injured after the first match; having started the first match. After that I didn’t get to start in the team and only came on a substitute against Argentina; but looking back that was an incredible game to be involved in as well. In the end, it was a bit disappointing that we couldn’t go as far as we probably thought we could. We lost to Romania in the group game and that meant it was going to be a difficult route to the final because we had to meet Argentina in the second round stage, which we could have avoided if we hadn’t lost in the group.
You will be one of the young managers at Russia 2018. How psychologically prepared are you for your World Cup baptism?
I’ve gone through a lot of baptism that I could go through and to be in the game for37 years as a player and manager, you must be resilient. I have devoted over 30 years to the game; though I’m one of the young managers on the international scene, but all the same I don’t think being 47 years of age is a big thing. It’s not about your age but your experience and resilience.
Neutrals believe England is in a fairly decent group along with Belgium, Panama and Tunisia, and should easily progress to the second round. What are your thoughts about your Group G rivals?
Well, in terms of FIFA World Ranking, we have three teams that are ranked third (Belgium); 13th (England) and 14th (Tunisia) and that means it’s actually one of the most difficult groups at this World Cup. Our first opponent is Tunisia and we shouldn’t look further than that. I’ve been very impressed with their style based on the games I’ve watched them play, and that is a tough opening game for us. We know that Panama has achieved an incredible result by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time; and they have a lot of pride and passion. We also know the quality that Belgium possess after seeing some of their players in our league (English Premier League). It is not a straight forward Group, but that is what it should be in a World Cup final tournament.
England will host Nigeria at Wembley Stadium. Why the choice of Nigeria knowing you have a North African, and not a West African side, in your Russia 2018 World Cup Group?
We didn’t choose Nigeria just because we had an African team in our Group at the World Cup finals. The truth is that we don’t often have the opportunity of playing teams outside Europe. So, we thought it was a great opportunity playing against Nigeria and we know that they (Nigeria) have great fantastic support in England and that would be a fantastic atmosphere. It is a good test for us ahead of the World Cup finals.
Which Nigerian players have impressed you over the years? What is your impression of the current team going to Russia 2018?
I was in the squad when we played them in 2002 and there have been a lot of Nigerian players that have been successful in the Premier League. Like (Nwankwo) Kanu and (Austin) Jay Jay Okocha; both of them really made a great impact in our league and they are my favourite Nigerian players.
What will be a good tournament for England in Russia against the background that England are world champions at the U20 and U17 levels?
Obviously, it has been a great 18 months for our junior teams. But that is a long progress for our junior teams because these players are not ready for the World Cup yet. It would be difficult for them to compete for places now because we have an exciting squad of young players in this current England national team. The victories of the junior national teams have given us a lot of enthusiasm but we shall see how far the senior team can go at the World Cup.
What makes you happy as a person and manager?
As a manager, winning makes me happy; really seeing the way and style I want the team plays; being disciplined and seeing that everybody is involved. I enjoy working with all the players. As a person, taking time away from football to be with my family is very important.
What’s your definition of fashion and what would be your lucky attire in Russia?
I have no issue about what to put on in Russia. We have a team suit and track suits and I’m pretty comfortable with that, but by and large, everybody has their own style.
Which player would be the star of Russia 2018? Which country would win the trophy?
It is always difficult to say which player would be the star of the tournament because we have a lot of stars coming. Certainly, it’s a tournament that is difficult to predict the winner though we know that Brazil and Germany are the huge favourites because of their past record, coupled with the form of their current teams. There are teams that could cause a lot of problems for everybody and we hope (England) would be one of them.
What would be your parting message to your family before travelling to Russia 2918 World Cup?
I want my family to enjoy the World Cup as well; we are going to do the work as best as we can. Everybody has to embrace the World Cup and the spectacle that it is; and I hope my family can embrace that as well.
