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An ex-Premier League forward believes the Three Lions manager can lead the perennial underachievers to success at Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate has been defended after the fierce criticism the England manager has come under following Brazil’s 1-0 win over the Three Lions at Wembley on Saturday.
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22:08 - 23.03.2024
England vs Brazil: More than a friendly as Real Madrid new boy leaves mark at Wembley
Teenage sensation Endrick scored his first goal for Brazil to help secure a 1-0 victory over England at Wembley Stadium.
England vs Brazil
An 80th-minute Endrick goal decided the game at the Home of Football against an understrength Brazil side. England were also without Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish, while Kyle Walker was forced off in the opening 45 minutes with a probable hamstring issue.
Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa replaced the Manchester City player for his international debut, and the defender could do little to prevent Endrick’s historic goal at Wembley. The Selecao’s victory ended a run of four matches without success, a streak including three defeats on the trot before Saturday’s game with England.
While Southgate’s tactics were criticised again, Jan Age Fjortoft leapt to the 53-year-old manager’s defence on ESPN FC’s daily show.
What Jan Age Fjortoft said in justification of Southgate
Asked by show anchor Dan Thomas to reflect on the game, the former Norwegian striker, who made 84 Premier League appearances across spells for Swindon, Middlesbrough and Barnsley, Fjortoft believes Southgate’s pragmatism has its advantages in a cup competition.
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“I won’t be that worried about England,” said the 57-year-old on ESPN FC. “I think when it comes to the Euros, that boring identity will take them through the first round, then it’s all down to the individuals. How will their individuals perform when they get into the knockout stage? Remember that they were lacking some good players today, especially Harry Kane.
“The only thing I would be worried about is ‘how will they do defensively?’ Because I think that way Southgate is playing them, he is not there for the entertainment, he’s there to take them further. We have to stop all the moaning about Gareth Southgate. We have to think of what you need to get further in the tournaments.
“It was a good friendly, it was quite intense. I wouldn’t be worried at all if I was England. I think England will do brilliantly at the European Championship.”
What comes next for Southgate and England before Euro 2024?
Southgate's men are back at Wembley for Tuesday's friendly with Belgium, keen to return to winning ways after Saturday's loss to Brazil. The Three Lions then play tune-up games with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland in June before their Euro 2024 opening game against Serbia on June 16.
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