Gareth Southgate used to refer to it as “the curse”. As a player he had sat out two games at France 98 through injury but it was life as an unused substitute through all five of England’s matches at the 2002 World Cup finals that truly grated. So, when the national manager speaks of prioritising “squad harmony” when it comes to selection for Thursday’s final group game against Belgium, he is talking from grim experience.
He had outlined as much in Woody & Nord: a football friendship, the book he wrote with a former team-mate in the Crystal Palace youth setup, Andy Woodman, published just after the end of Southgate’s international career in 2004. In it he outlined the exasperation of life on the fringes of Sven-Göran Eriksson’s England squad in Japan 16 years ago.
“You don’t want to be a pain in the arse to the other guys,” he wrote. “So you say the right things, you encourage the lads who are picked and you play your part. But I am a professional footballer; sitting and watching means nothing to me. You remind yourself about the millions who would kill to be in your place but it does no good. Japan was my fourth major championship but only at Euro 96 did I feel truly part of things. I came home feeling emotionally empty.
“After the win over Argentina I spoke to Woody on the telephone and could hear cars tooting their horns in the background. ‘It’s going mad here, mate,’ Woody said. I looked around the team bus at the players who hadn’t played. ‘We’re going fucking mad here too,’ I said. The subs were genuinely pleased the team had won, pleased for the other lads, pleased for the country, but as individuals you’ve got to say we were totally unfulfilled. And in the end it was not a good tournament for England and left me feeling decidedly flat. What I took away from a disappointing World Cup was the camaraderie in our group. There were lads in the squad who didn’t play but gave everything in training and tried to hide their frustration.”
Plenty of Southgate’s decisions as manager for this World Cup appear to have drawn on his experiences as a player at tournaments, including naming his final 23 early and telling the players his XI for the first match two days in advance to ease anxiety.
Now, as manager, his selection this week will be aimed at making those who have yet to play a significant role feel properly part of the side, not least to ensure standards never drop on the training ground. England have used 16 players in their first two matches and more may be granted run-outs in Kaliningrad despite the desire to top the section. So what permutations are open to Southgate with his lineup ?
Stick with what has worked
Sticking with the side who have done so well in the tournament would offer the best hope of maintaining momentum and allow the combinations – from centre-halves to wing-backs to the front pairing – another run-out as they grow accustomed in each other’s company. Yet, with Kyle Walker and Ruben Loftus-Cheek on bookings and the group having worked hard in the heat of Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday, there would be risk associated with such an approach.
Mix and match
Most likely would be offering some in the group breathers, while retaining the core of the side who did so well against Panama. Alli need not be risked after his thigh strain but there would be scope to rest those who are carrying cautions, and maybe offer Eric Dier and Fabian Delph – unless his wife goes into labour, prompting him to go home – game time in midfield. Rose, too, could do with a start to sharpen his form, while Rashford has been champing at the bit.
Rest is best
The third option is almost to follow Roy Hodgson’s lead at Euro 2016 and offer all the key players a one-game rest. Quite what Harry Kane would make of that, given his pursuit of the Golden Boot, is open to debate, but there is scope to make nine or 10 changes from Sunday while maybe only asking John Stones, the most natural central pivot in the back three, to play again. Loftus-Cheek could feature to grant Dele Alli more time in his rehabilitation.
