Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate has revealed he has a ticket lined up for the World Cup final because if the national side makes it through, he “wants to be there”.
The 55-year-old also said he was “not missing” having to tell players they were not part of the team, which he recalled were “some of the most horrendous conversations”.
Sir Gareth made his comments ahead of Thomas Tuchel naming his 26-man squad for this summer’s shot at glory in North America on Friday morning.
It meant several players learning their fate the previous day, including defender Harry Maguire, who said he was “shocked and gutted” at being left out.
Sir Gareth, who helmed England for eight years, was taking part in an on-stage chat with former BBC boss Tim Davie in Los Angeles, where he talked about handling pressure in top-tier international football.
The event was held as part of the largest ever UK trade mission to the US, aimed at bolstering the lucrative commercial partnership between the two nations.
Referring to the calls being received by the players, Sir Gareth said: “They were some of the most horrendous conversations I ever had.
“So, basically, what I’m saying is I’m not missing any of this.”
He added: “I also will be giving the team space so I’m not doing media this summer, because I think anything I say will be amplified, thrown at Thomas and won’t help his job.
“But I’ve got a ticket lined up for the final, because I’ve waited 50 years, and if we’re at the final, then I want to be there for sure.”
Sir Gareth was also asked about how he unexpectedly became a trend-setter during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when his sporting of a smart waistcoat at matches led to a spike in sales of the garment.
Three-piece suits had been provided for the team during the tournament by the high street retailer Marks & Spencer, which Sir Gareth hailed “a great British brand”.
He recalled: “I actually said to my son, ‘Do you think I get away with just wearing this waistcoat’ before the tournament and he said ‘Yeah, it looks fine, but I don’t know who you think is going to be bothered about what you’re wearing anyway’.
“And, of course, by the end of the tournament, British Airways were handing out waistcoats on the flights to Moscow.”
Earlier in the discussion and drawing on his own experience, Sir Gareth talked about the need to get members of the team “to buy into the experience of playing for England, the pride of playing for England”.
He added: “There’s commercial benefit to a player being in the England squad, but that’s not why they’re coming to play.
“The clubs don’t really want them to come and play, because it’s just an injury risk for the clubs, frankly.
“But you’re trying to create buy-in with superstar talents into a team.”
He also highlighted the importance of having senior players, who were also good role models, such as captain Harry Kane, and challenging squad members who stepped out of line by keeping them on the bench when necessary.
Sir Gareth also spoke about his own part in setting an example for youngsters.
He said: “The reason I coached wasn’t to just win football matches, I wanted to help people improve, learn, be the best version of themselves. That’s the bit that I really loved working with players on, so that applies across any young person.”
