‘Being brave’ - Gareth Southgate's resurfaced comments from 2010 World Cup makes mockery of Newcastle United ace

England manager Gareth Southgate after the final whistle of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Cologne Stadium in Cologne, GermanyEngland manager Gareth Southgate after the final whistle of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Cologne Stadium in Cologne, Germany
England manager Gareth Southgate after the final whistle of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Cologne Stadium in Cologne, Germany
Gareth Southgate once advocated for bravery - so why are his England side limping through Euro 2024 without giving Newcastle United ace Anthony Gordon a chance?

The sun is shining and the beers are going down but, in keeping with the status quo, England are stinking out a major tournament with the world watching. A 0-0 draw against the competition’s minnows helps towards group-stage qualification but does little to appease a nation demanding glory.

World-class stars are flattering to deceive despite stellar campaigns at club level. Failing to brush aside a team languishing in the FIFA rankings has convinced a country that football is not coming home.

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Players are taking umbrage with pundits - hitting out at the boo boys following a drab goalless performance. Does this sound familiar?

Following England can feel like a perennial slog. They get your hopes up, then smash them to smithereens. All those oh-so-nears wear you down through the years, as the unofficial anthem goes.

Perhaps eight years in the hot seat has withered away Gareth Southgate’s bulldog spirit. In a bizarre paradox - some would say alternative reality - the Three Lions manager gave a Churchillian speech following England’s 0-0 draw with Algeria at the 2010 World Cup.

“When you talk about courage on the football field, people tend to think about making tackles or being brave,” he said while working as an ITV pundit. “Being brave is about taking the ball under pressure and being prepared to shoot. It’s about taking people on in the final third.

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“Generally, we were pretty poor. There were several instances in and around their penalty area where we chose the wrong option and weren’t prepared to take responsibility. We could have put earlier balls into the box but wanted the extra touch.

“Everyone was trying to (do) step-overs. Things that aren’t naturally our game. We did not take enough responsibility.”

What happened Gareth? A lesson about “being brave” from the long-serving England match is like being lectured on morality by a burglar.

Captain Cautious has staggered through the group stages with two of the worst Three Lions performances in recent memory. Fear - not bravery - is the emotion that has governed England throughout.

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And as for “being prepared to shoot” and “taking people on in the final third”, a certain Newcastle United talisman will scoff at those comments should they come to his attention. Anthony Gordon, the most direct player in the squad, has sat on the sidelines for 268 of the 270 minutes available. 

In an eye-catching cameo, the 23-year-old started a move that almost saw Cole Palmer snatch a later winner. That chance was more than anything Bukayo Saka, Conor Gallagher or Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham created combined.

The Southgate from yesteryear, from the safety of a TV studio, urged valour and victory. Perhaps he should bear those comments in mind for Sunday’s last 16 clash and deliver the will of the country: going for it.

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