Daily Times

Top of the group, unbeaten and on the favorable side of the draw for the knockout phase of Euro 2024. It´s a case of job done for England at this stage of the tournament.

Try telling that to the fans who jeered loudly and threw beer cups as the final whistle blew on a 0-0 draw with Slovenia at Cologne Stadium on Tuesday. Criticism of England’s performances in Germany has been fierce. “I´ve not seen any team qualify and receive similar,” manager Gareth Southgate said. Southgate believes he and his England team could be paying the price for its success under his leadership. Safe passage through to the round of 16 maintains his personal record of advancing from the group stage of every major tournament he’s taken charge of, dating back to the World Cup in 2018.

“I think probably expectation (is different). We´ve made England over the last six or seven years fun again. I think it has been enjoyable for the players,” Southgate said. “We´ve got to be very, very careful that it stays that way.”