Two home friendlies against two top footballing nations, both 0-0 draws. To many people, including some of my mates, it was just more boring football, although I suspect that some of them couldn’t even be bothered to watch it in the first place. (Fair enough, it can get you like that when you’ve been watching the dross served up recently).
However, being basically an optimistic sort of chap, I would prefer to put a more positive spin on things. Pardon me if you have heard this before, but I would go so far as to say I think we could be on the cusp of an exciting new era for the England national team.
Those of you who read my first blog, ‘Teenage Kicks’, know that I dared Gareth Southgate, slightly tongue-in-cheek, to pick no-one over 20 for these two games. That was never going to happen, of course, but mainly because of the drop-outs from his original squad selection, he ended up including a few of the youngsters from the U-21s. And what happened? Good, positive and more importantly, enthusiastic performances all round. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, man-of-the-match, who would have believed it? Pickford, Abraham and Gomez, they ALL played well. Everyone, in fact, in both games, can look back with pride on a job well done.
Well done, all those who dropped out, it’s given us a chance to see the future!!
But before you tell me I’m overreacting to two 0-0 draws, I haven’t explained the best bit yet. These youngsters are telling the plodders that if YOU don’t want the shirt, I’LL have it! Apart from Harry Kane and Dele Alli, every other player from the previous five or six matches have now officially been put on notice. If you don’t show up, shape up, deliver your club form, and take this representing your country seriously, you will be on the bench or out of the squad. And I would like to think that this real pressure on these under-achievers, WILL bring out better performances. And that is why I am optimistic…
This is only me talking, of course, and not Gareth Southgate, but I’m hoping he is thinking it even if he can’t say it. And my last thought for the day is this. I bet there won’t be seven drop-outs from his next England squad!