Gareth Southgate has encouraged his players to block out the “external noise” and also admitted to being his “own biggest critic”.
Harry Kane and Declan Rice responded to Gary Lineker calling England’s performance against Denmark ’s***’ on his podcast, with Kane wanting former players to act more responsibly.
Ahead of the Three Lions’ final group stage match against Slovenia on Tuesday night, Southgate said he was unaware of Lineker’s comments.
“That’s the world we are in, and I am oblivious to it,” the England manager said. “It’s not important to me at all.
“What’s important to me is that I have got to guide this group of players confidently through the terrain of the tournament. We are a high-profile team with expectations and we fully understand everything we do is going to be scrutinised, so I am very comfortable living that life.
“I don’t need to engage in the external because I am my own biggest critic, and I think our players are as well. There is nothing to be gained from us that will help improve us by listening to external criticism.
“We know the world we live in there will always be external noise, but the external noise shouldn’t affect us. What’s important is the internal, we are the only ones that can perform on the pitch and the only ones that can give those performances better. Performance is what we are focusing on.”
“We know what we have done well, we are very honest about that, and we know where we need to be better, we are brutally honest about that, and that’s how you work as a team.”
England will finish top of Group C if they beat Slovenia and it is unlikely Southgate will make wholesale changes to his starting XI.
He is, however, expected to make one change, with The Athletic revealing on Monday that right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to be dropped from midfield in favour of Conor Gallagher.
Asked what he will change from a tactical and personnel perspective, Southgate said: “I am clearly not going to go into detail on either of those things when the opposition are listening.
“In the end, our performance will have to speak for itself. Of course, it’s important to answer the questions as thoroughly as I can but I am going to be judged on how the team play. I understand that and I am comfortable with that.”
(Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
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