On England At Euro 2024
What did you think of England’s performance against Slovenia?
The England performance (against Slovenia) was still nowhere near the levels that you would want and hope for. The first half was so slow and cumbersome, and at times we just kept possession without making any headway.
There was a bit more tempo to our play in the second half. Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer really did make a big impression and will have given Gareth Southgate a lot of food for thought in terms of his team selection for the next game,
It’s difficult against a Slovenian team that’s defending in numbers and just playing for a draw, but you’re looking for a little bit more from the performance.
There were some positives in the second half, and it was an improvement on the Denmark performance. We’ve topped the group, which is job done. We’ve really just got to look forward now.
Do you think having qualification confirmed before kick-off affected the performance last night?
I don’t think England’s performance was impacted by knowing that they were through to KO stages before kick-off. They would have been desperate to put on a good show, because performances have been below par so far and they would have wanted to top the group with a win. In the end a draw was enough (to top the group) and they’ve avoided playing Germany by finishing second.
You have to put the performance in context of competition so far. The Netherlands got beat, France struggled against Poland and finished second in their group. France were alongside England as favourites to win the tournament, so it’s not like we’re on our own in terms of searching for form but, as I say, we’re in the knock-out stages for the business-end and that’s all that matters.
When you saw the team news before the game, were you surprised the only change was Conor Gallagher starting instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold?
I wasn’t surprised by the change to swap Connor Gallagher for Trent Alexander-Arnold, or the fact that there weren’t more changes. The team needs continuity to try and put things right.
I thought that Gallagher would give us a little bit of energy and close down Slovenia quickly as the trigger for the press, which would have added more tempo to our football, but that didn’t happen.
People were calling for changes (before the game), but I didn’t think that was going to happen, especially with the knock-out stage around the corner. I wasn’t concerned by the lack of changes – he’s kept the faith with these players and given them a chance – but I think now it’s time to try something different. Changes must be made for the knock-out stages.
Was it the right decision to sub Conor Gallagher at half time?
It was the right decision to take Gallagher off at half-time. He struggled and gave the ball away a lot. He couldn’t influence the game.
I was pleased to see Gallagher go off. It’s rare that Gareth Southgate makes substitutions at half time - he was decisive - and the decision paid off. Kobbie Mainoo came into the game and instantly improved things. What a talent Mainoo is, and what a temperament he has to go into that environment and stamp your mark all over it straightaway. Incredible from Mainoo and one of the only positives to take from the performance.
What did you think of the other substitutions last night?
Cole Palmer saw some action. I wouldn’t say that his performance was a revelation, because he’s been doing this for Chelsea every week, but it’s incredibly hard to replicate that for your country – the shirt can swallow certain individuals – so that was pleasing to see.
Palmer is stepping into new territory, and it didn’t bother him at all. He was happy to demand the ball and try and make things happen. He’s always positive. There were so many backwards and sideway passes in the first half, but he tried to pierce the lines and get the ball in behind. He was brilliant and was another positive.
It looks like he’s the sort of player where nothing really phases him, regardless of who he is playing against or the level. The scrutiny of a nation and pressure that goes with playing for England, especially at the moment, didn’t seem to bother him either. I would love to see him start in the next game.
Were you surprised that Anthony Gordon only came on in the 88th minute?
Yes and no because we did get better in that second half and started asking a few questions, but not serious ones. Gareth was waiting to see if anything would come of the changes he made and Gordon coming on so late was the last throw of the dice.
Anthony Gordon does give you something different. Whether he will start the next game, I’m not sure and we’ll have to wait and see. At least there are positive choices there for Southgate to make. There are one, two or three players chomping at the bit to start some games and show the gaffer and the country what they can do.
Is it disappointing that after 3 games we haven’t learnt any lessons considering the opposition that we have faced?
It is disappointing that we haven’t seen any real improvement from the England after three games at this tournament. I haven’t seen any lessons being learnt in terms of the performances. We are still trying to kick-start the campaign.
There’s no lack of effort from the players, they’ll be desperate to do well. Obviously, they’re aware of all the criticism at home, but they have to put that to one side. As an England player you will always get criticism if you’re not performing. Players must handle it because it’s part and parcel of being an England player. It's disappointing that over three games we haven’t hit our stride but there is still time.
Were you surprised to see Harry Kane hit back at some of the criticism the England team has faced at this tournament? Did Kane’s reaction highlight the increasing pressure on England and could be something he regrets if he fails to deliver in KO rounds?
I wasn’t surprised to see Kane hit back at England’s critics because he can only answer the questions journalists ask him. Did you hear what Gary Lineker said? Did you hear what Shearer said?
The criticism bites a bit harder when you’re a player inside the camp and you start to develop a siege mentality. I’ve been in Kane’s shoes, and you know very well that the players will be talking about the criticism, especially when it’s coming from Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
I would have preferred it if Harry Kane said Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have seen and done it all playing for England, so they’re entitled to their opinion, but we haven’t played well and we need to do better. I think he could have avoided saying Lineker and Shearer have also been in this position and struggled so shouldn’t be criticising. Does that mean that they can’t criticise players when they are getting paid to give their opinion and insight? When performances aren’t good, things get touchy. Players cannot avoid seeing the criticism – it’s on their phones and in their rooms – they’re all aware of it, it all about how they handle it.
One of the biggest criticisms of Gareth Southgate’s management has been his inability to change the momentum of football matches, tactically and through substitutions. Yesterday he did mix it up a bit making a half time substitution and changing the attacking players. Do you think going forwards he’ll be more bold with his selection in the knockout rounds?
We’ll have to wait and see if Gareth Southgate is going to start being a bit bolder with his team selections. He’ll be thinking seriously about that.
He’s not going to pick Connor Gallagher for the next game, is he? I would be surprised if he only replaced Gallagher with Mainoo, because more changes are needed in my opinion. I would be disappointed with one change because we need more than that to get things going.
To me, Bukayo Saka is a fantastic player, but he looks a bit jaded. He’s played a lot of football the last few years and I wouldn’t be averse to taking him out and putting Cole Palmer in his place.
Looking at Jude Bellingham, he got the goal in the first game, but in the last couple he’s been anonymous. Do you leave him out? it’s a big call. I certainly wouldn’t leave Foden out because I thought he was one of our better players against Slovenia. There are some big decisions to be made for Southgate
Do you think Jude Bellingham should stay in that number 10 role?
I think Southgate will play Rice and Mainoo as the central midfield pair, and then it's who plays just ahead. Do you keep Foden on the left coming inside with Bellingham in the middle, or do you go with Foden in the middle, and maybe Anthony Gordon out there? We’ll have to wait and see what he does on Sunday.
To leave Bellingham out would be a big call. He’s come into the tournament as the Golden Boy; Champions League winner. He’s had a sensational season for Real Madrid and then, scored the goal in the first game against Serbia. He can be a match winner. He has been many, many times, but this is what managers get paid good money for. They've got to be brave. They've got to go with their instinct and do what they feel is right for the team.
What changes would you like to see for England’s next game?
We haven’t mentioned Luke Shaw. There’s a question mark about whether he would be fit enough to play at left back because that certainly been a problem position for the manager.
If Shaw isn’t available, there’s been a lot of talk about putting Bukayo Saka at left back, which would be a bold move. I don't think he'll put Saka in there, but if Saka were to play there Saka there then it gets another attack-minded player into the team and gives Cole Palmer another opportunity to impress.
I think I'd probably stick with Bellingham as that number 10, with Foden on the left. I would play Kobbie Mainoo next to Rice. If Southgate is going to be bold, he could put Saka at left back. It would give England greater width on the left and Phil Foden more freedom to drift because Saka will overlap, which would make things a little bit more balanced.
It’s been a bit stodgy, but we’re in the KO rounds. What would be your rallying cry to this group of players ahead of the fixture?
Seize the day. Try and relax and enjoy playing football, which is not easy with all the noise around the group at the moment.
The players might not ever be in this position again. This could be it in terms of representing your country at a major international tournament – you can’t take anything for granted in your career, especially playing for England on these stages.
There's plenty of improvement to be done. The manager plays a big part at this stage. What he says on the training ground and what he says in the dressing room beforehand has greater importance when you’re in the knock-out stages. I don't think Southgate's a Churchillian speaker, or someone to really rouse the troops, but it's important that he sends them out with clear minds and tells them what they need to do. Most of the players are highly experienced and they're capable of so much more. They'll be desperate to produce it.
What players have impress you the most so far in the Euros?
N’Golo Kante has stood out for me. He has done what he always does, getting about the pitch, putting out fires, and he’s creative on the ball as well. He’s such an amazing player for France and still so influential.
Lamine Yamal for Spain, the 16-year-old, just for him to be selected by the manager and be involved says it all about his talent. It's an amazing achievement to get picked at his age and it’s an even bigger one to stay in the team. What a talent he is and to be playing for your country in a major tournament at his age is just incredible.
I actually think Romelu Lukaku has been one of the standout players. You know, he's had three goals ruled out by VAR, but he's looking a real threat. He’s looking sharp. Sometimes he can look a bit ponderous if he's not 100% match fit but he's getting chances. He's making good runs, and he is, you know, one of, if not the most dangerous centre forwards so far in this competition.
What players have you been least impressed with in this tournament?
We’re still waiting to see Kylian Mbappe spring into life. Obviously, he broke his nose, but on the eve of his move to Real Madrid he’s viewed by many as the best player in the world, so he might be the one player that I’ve been least impressed by.
Some of the England players, the big players like Kane and Bellingham, they haven’t been at the levels yet. You need your big players to perform. There have been some tight games for England and there are some players you think are going to influence it but have struggled to do so. There is still time for them to come good though.
After the group stages who are your favourites to win the tournament?
Spain have won three out of three so far. Nobody's done that.
Portugal have a fantastic range of players and choices they've got there. The Portugal bench is probably one of the strongest in the tournament, but I would still fancy Spain above Portugal.
It's funny, you get to the knockout stages, and teams can be transformed. Knockout football brings something different out in a player. So those that have been fairly average so far could come to the fore.
Spain have been consistent and at times they've been really good.
On Arsenal
It seems hard to believe but Arsenal have kicked off their preseason training this week in Marbella. Do you think Arsenal should try and get their transfers done early so the new players are ready to bed in before their US tour?
I think Arsenal will want to complete their transfer business as soon as possible. Every club want to get signings made early and Arsenal, over the last few years, with Edu in the chair, have been very decisive and very efficient with his transfers. There hasn't been too many last day scenarios where it looks like it’s a desperation and not part of a bigger strategy.
The Euros play a part. Players will want to wait until their out of the tournament before they start thinking about future moves, so there's still quite a bit of time before deals for players playing at the tournament can be completed.
The sooner you can bring new faces into the club, the sooner they can start to acclimatise to their new environment and get to know their teammates and what Arteta will expect from them.
Things will start happening fairly soon now in terms of transfers for all the clubs.
Arsenal are again being linked with Pedro Neto. He’s a great player, but do you think they should be wary of his injury record before signing him?
Pedro Neto is a great talent, but he's not available a lot of the time. Gabriel Jesus has been a little bit like that for Arsenal. That may have been part of the reason City let him go. He's a very good player, but he keeps picking up knocks, so you don't want to bring somebody else in that's similar and keeps getting injured. If Neto could enjoy a season free of injury, what an addition to the squad he would be. He has tremendous pace. He'll look a better player in the Arsenal side than he does in the Wolves side.
Arsenal are being linked with lots of different strikers in the transfer window. Do you think this should be their top priority this window? What kind of a striker do you think the squad would benefit from the most?
Arsenal will want variation in the squad, so the lends itself to looking at a striker who can do things that the current crop can’t. Maybe that means going for someone that’s a bit more of an out-and-out forward in terms of staying higher up the pitch.
Havertz has played up there quite often as a false number nine, but if you buy somebody who looks to get up against the centre halves and make runs in behind, while also having the physical attributes required for the Premier League, then I think that would really add something to the group. Those type of players, especially the ones who can hit 20 odd goals a season cost a lot of money.
At the end of the day, Arsenal have got to sign good players to add to the group. The club are shopping for the cream of the crop in terms of ability because this Arsenal squad is full of class players.
I'd like to see another striker join Arsenal this summer and maybe another central midfielder, although that depends on whether Thomas Partey leaves the club. I don't know whether he will, but again, he's somebody that keeps picking up injuries, and maybe the games just move past him now in terms of his ability to get around the pitch in the way that he could.
Left back's been a problem but Jurien Timber’s going to be available as a left back and centre half, but perhaps another (left back) would be handy.
It's all about money, and as I’ve said previously, Arsenal need to get some players out in order to give them a bit of elbow room for spending. There's plenty of lads that could be sold, which is an advantage for Arsenal. Not all clubs have got that.
Emile Smith-Rowe has been linked with a move away. Would this be a transfer you would regret as he hasn’t reached his potential after such a good start to his career?
If Arsenal were to sell Emile Smith-Rowe, there would definitely be plenty of regrets felt by people inside the club and the fans that follow them. He would be the one sale that would hurt the most this summer if Arsenal were to move him on.
Him and Saka came through together, almost as a double act. Saka has gone one way, and Smith Rowe, via injuries, has gone backwards. He's come back into the fold but needs must sometimes, and if you get offered a good price, sometimes you have to reluctantly wave goodbye to a player. If Smith-Rowe is not at the forefront of the manager's plans, then he would probably want to go and get his career started again.
Eddie Nketiah is another one who has climbed up through the ranks. I’ve got a lot of time for him; he's a good finisher. He’s another player who a club would think could do a job and score 15 goals at least in the Premier League. He's probably capable of doing that and would fetch good money as well. You never like to lose these academy products because you've put all this care, attention and love into them only to wave them goodbye.
It’s a bit of a sad time when you sell an academy player, but it's just business at the end of the day and you can’t let your emotions get in the way.
With the eyes of Europe on the Euros, it would be easy to forget that Arsenal’s Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli are playing at the Copa America with Brazil. Martinelli wasn’t at his electrifying best last season – would a good showing for Brazil at the Copa stand him in good stead for starting next season with a bang?
A good Copa America would definitely give Martinelli a lot of confidence. He picked up a few knocks last season, but he's a brilliant player when he's on song. At his best, he can be almost impossible to handle.
He's so quick. He's so enthusiastic. He trains at 100 miles an hour by all accounts, but he'd been a bit off, and Leandro Trossard coming in has given the manager a very useful option, which he’s used a lot.
Hopefully he'll have a good tournament with his country. Gabriel had a brilliant season for Arsenal next to Saliba. You just hope they don't get injured and come back in a good state.
On Leicester City
Are you happy with the decision to appoint Steve Cooper as Leicester manager?
I think it's a good appointment from Leicester to appoint Steve Cooper. I think he's a good manager. It was tough for him at Forest. I think it's quite difficult under the owner. Maybe Nuno is finding that out now as well, but he did very well to get Forest up into the Premier League and kept them up in their first season back. I do think he's a talented coach. I think Leicester is in safe hands there. I think they suit each other. I think it's a really good appointment.
Where do you think Leicester need to strengthen most to avoid relegation next season?
Leicester need to add a few players to the squad that are of Premier League quality.
At the back, when you look at Vestegaard and Wout Faes, you don't see that as a double act that's going to be good enough in the Premier League.
Up top, Jamie Vardy can’t go on forever. He could still do a job as a sub and impact substitute, but Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho, neither of them have really staked a claim and suggested they can score goals regularly at the top level. Leicester must be really canny in the transfer market like they were a few years back – they’ll need to produce some rabbits out of a hat, like they did when they signed N’Golo Kante and Mahrez. Those players were superb in the Premier League, and both of them came from nowhere really. It's not easy to do that, to find talent like that. Leicester need to strengthen, without question. I hope they can manage it.
On Manchester United
According to reports in Holland, former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to be appointed as Erik ten Haag’s assistant. He’s had two seasons managing PSV in Holland, boasting a 65% win percentage and lifting the Dutch cup. Is this a curious step in terms of his managerial development – or do you think what he could learn in a baptism of fire at the Theatre of Dreams could stand him in good stead.
Well, it's unusual for a manager who's been successful then to go back to being a coach, but it is Manchester United, and if van Nistelrooy does arrive, whose choice is it? Is it the new regime who have foisted a coach onto the manager. Or did Ten Hag say that he thinks Manchester United would benefit from him coming in?
Do you think this is good PR for Ineos to placate their most outspoken critics like Scholes, Ferdinand and Neville by bringing in someone they can relate to as being a former player of Manchester United?
No, I don’t think the decision to bring in van Nistelrooy has anything to placate the club’s critical older players. Ex-players comment on performances, pure and simple. If Manchester United continue in the same vein as they did last year, when they were conceding so much pressure upon themselves and conceding so many shots every week, then the criticism will continue.
Let’s watch this space on van Nistelrooy joining. That relationship between manager and first team coach is an important one.
You need to have a lieutenant that is singing from the same hymn sheet, so we'll see how that pans out if it happens.
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