Gareth Southgate: England players under massive pressure from clubs over playing time
Gareth Southgate
England football team head coach Gareth Southgate has called out the Premier League clubs for pressurizing players over their playing time with the national team. Southgate said that Premier League club managers are worried about player fatigue and injuries due to jam-packed schedule.
Southgate further said that the players are keen to play for their country but have been pushed in a “difficult situation” with their clubs. The hectic club fixture along with three matches in seven days for England is a tough task for players. England lost their last match 2-0 against Belgium, ending their hopes of reaching the Nations League final.
“They are under huge pressure from their clubs. That is going on in the background, for sure,” Southgate told reporters ahead of England’s final Nations League group match against Iceland.
“That is the landscape, whether it is made public or not. That is the reality. It manifests itself in different ways but that is what happens.”
England have already lost the likes of Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling as the duo picked up injuries on international duty. Ben Chilwell is also being assessed for a back issue. However, Southgate said that he understands the pressure Premier League managers are in as it is not a two or three clubs title race any more.
“We do not just have two or three clubs in the title race any more, we’re looking at six or seven clubs in England and there is huge pressure on every result,” he added.
“Everybody is looking to try and gain an advantage and if they feel someone else is getting an advantage, they want to make sure their voice is heard as well.
“In terms of the managers, there’s a power game the whole time whether that is phone calls, messages, press conferences -- we know everything that goes on. Everybody is inevitably going to fight their own corner.”