The England national team manager Gareth Southgate, has questioned the fans of the Three Lions after they were booed off the pitch following another dull 0-0 draw against Slovenia in their third Group C game at the Cologne Stadium on Wednesday, June 26 (Philippine Standard Time).
England could only muster four shots on target against a defensive Slovenia side. Despite this they topped Group C as winners with five points from three games, consisting of one win and two draws.
The entire England squad was booed by the crowd at both half-time and full-time, and fans were pictured throwing beer cups in Southgate’s direction when he went to applaud the England fans after the football game.
Empty cups thrown at Gareth Southgate as he applauds the England supporters. @TheAthleticFC #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/rvJhL6t5OL
— Dan Sheldon (@Dan_Sheldon_) June 25, 2024
The 53-year-old has urged the supporters to back the team despite whatever negative feelings they have towards him.
“I understand it. I’m not going to back away from it. The most important thing here is that the supporters stay with the team. I understand the narrative towards me and that’s better than it being towards them. But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I have not seen any team qualify and receive similar,” Southgate said in the post match press conference.
“They might feel differently towards me. But for me, we only will succeed if we are together. That energy is crucial for the team and it is so important they stay with the team, however they feel towards me,” he added.
The response of English fans towards the players and the coaching staff is valid, considering that they have scored just two goals in three games despite having some of the best young players in the world.
In Harry Kane, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka, they have three players who are capable of changing the course of the game in a minute, but they have failed to click and gel as a team on the pitch.
England have to wait to find out their opponents in the round-of-16 stage but will play one of the four best third-placed teams in Gelsenkirchen on Monday, July 1 (Philippine Standard Time).
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