England boss Gareth Southgate admits the fans may NEVER love him despite delivering 2018 World Cup qualification
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Gareth Southgate claims England supporters will NEVER love him.
Southgate fears Three Lions fans still have not forgotten that infamous penalty miss in Euro 96 and his part in other international failures as a player.
Now England boss Southgate is convinced, however, that the team can win back the fans after clinching their place at the World Cup finals next summer with a game to spare.
The former defender said: “For me, the love of the England fans... they might find it difficult to find much love for me with my history with England! I’ve managed to shoulder that for 20 years.
(Image: Allsport/Getty)
(Image: Getty)
(Image: Getty Images)
“My job, my first objective, is to get the country to a World Cup finals. Then make the team as good as we possibly can and that’s what I intend to.
“Although I’m not certain I’m standing here thinking ‘Wow! Isn’t it brilliant to have qualified for a World Cup? I’m feeling all the love.’
(Image: Daily Mirror)
“But I get it. I get it.
“I go back to I think picking up the consequences of decades of disappointment and this group are nowhere near as experienced as most of those teams. The hope is that people get behind them and give them a chance.”
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England’s win over Slovenia on Thursday secured their long-inevitable qualification but did little to fill the nation with confidence of a strong challenge at Russia 2018.
While the Three Lions have built a remarkable 38-game unbeaten record in qualifying matches, they last went beyond the quarter-finals of a World Cup at Italia 90.
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
But Southgate insists that he is proud of his achievement in winning the group — and is sure the players can make the nation proud next summer.
He added: “I go back to: The objective is to qualify. We have done that. Sorry. The first objective is to qualify and we have done that.
“I am massively proud to have led my country to a World Cup. Massively proud, and nothing will take that away.
“I have the opportunity to do something that very few people have done in their lives - to lead their country to a World Cup.
“I want to take us as far as I possibly can. I want to build a team that the country are proud of.
“I get how they are feeling about us at the moment but I also believe in the potential of these players.”