Southgate in passionate defence of Foden’s ‘unsexy’ display after critics blast star’s ‘restricted’ role at Euro 2024
GARETH SOUTHGATE defended Phil Foden by hailing the under-fire England star’s ‘unsexy’ graft.
Boss Southgate held a team meeting to help Three Lions players deal with criticism with Foden targeted after Sunday’s 1-0 win over Serbia.
Foden, crowned Prem Player of the Season, had a quiet game but ran further than any of his team-mates and is set to be in an unchanged team against Denmark on Thursday night.
Southgate said: “Without Phil’s contribution without the ball — and I know that’s not the sexy bit — I don’t think we win against Serbia.
“Phil did an incredible job for the team. Others grabbed the attention, but the way he worked for the team – he defended spaces with real intelligence.
“He has set an incredibly high bar at Manchester City, where he knows exactly where every player is going to be every time he picks the ball up.
“With us, we’re always having to adapt to different team-mates.”
Foden, who has four goals in 35 England caps, put in a huge shift in Gelsenkirchen — covering 13.2km on the pitch.
But TV pundits Ian Wright was among those who gave Foden stick for not ‘getting into the game.’
And former Arsenal, Chelsea and Spain star Cesc Fabregas claimed Foden needed to impose himself.
Speaking on BBC1, Fabregas said: “Do you want to make things happen? Do you enjoy to get the ball under pressure?
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“They allowed them to have the ball when they were deep once in the second half, straight away, when they started to get pressed a little bit more, we started to see Foden hitting the ball without looking 40 yards. Trent, this not like them.
“You’ll never see Xavi, Iniesta, the top, top players in the last 15, 20, years, do that. You need to take this responsibility to grow.”
And former England boss Sam Allardyce claimed that Southgate “restricted” Foden with his tactics against Serbia.
Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, he said: “I love watching Phil Foden. I’ve watched a lot of him at Manchester City and I truly believe that he was restricted in his role against Serbia.
“He wasn’t doing what he does for City, starting on the left and popping up in the centre, rotating his position. It seemed like he was made to stay wide on the left-hand side.
Asked about the criticism ahead of the game in Frankfurt, Southgate added: “I have to make sure I can guide them through that, let them understand it and recognise it’s the reality of our world but that we shouldn’t be thrown off track by it.
“This is a different world to the one you experience at clubs. The players recognise that. We talked with them about it.
“It’s very rare at their club they’d win a game and experience what they’ve experienced over the last couple of days.”
Kyle Walker has told his Manchester City team-mate to “rise up on big occasions” by firing the Three Lions to Euros glory.
He believes Foden should not be judged on one disappointing performance.
City skipper Walker said: “The manager had a brief talk with us (on Tuesday night).
“All eyes are on us boys over here representing our country.
“Phil is a great character. This is just another little thing he has to overcome when there is so much pressure on him now after such a great season – big players have to rise up on big occasions.
How fans and pundits reacted to Southgate playing Foden on the left wing
GARETH SOUTHGATE has been widely criticised for his use of Phil Foden following the uninspired 1-0 Euro 2024 opener against Serbia.
The Premier League Player of the Year had a sublime season at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in yet another title-winning season.
Foden often shone brightest as a No10, but was allowed to roam freely behind Erling Haaland to wreak maximum chaos.
Despite putting in a staggering 13.2km shift in England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia, fans and pundits alike were left frustrated by Foden’s isolation on the left-wing.
After the game. ex-England star said: “I don’t think Phil Foden played well, he didn’t get into it.”
Micah Richards added: “It makes me sad when I see a player of this quality in and out of games.”
Cesc Fabregas demanded Foden “be more like Jude Bellingham” and “demand” the ball, while Rio Ferdinand claimed the City ace is “allowing” the Real Madrid star be the “dominant” figure.
Fans, meanwhile, fear Southgate is “turning Foden into Mason Mount” and demand the Three Lions boss find a way to get both him and Bellingham to shine together.
SunSport columnist Jack Wilshere reckons Southgate could play BOTH as No10s, with Declan Rice sitting deep as the No6.
The ex-Arsenal star said: “When Bellingham gets the ball, even if he is only lending it to Foden to get it back, or vice versa, they want to combine and make something happen.
“We have to get them between the lines and receiving on the half turn, playing forward.
“As I said before the tournament, I believe they can play in the same team, as two No 10s, with Declan Rice as the only holding player — especially in the group games.”
England take on Denmark in their second Euro 2024 clash on Tuesday, with kick-off in Frankfurt 5pm.
Inside humble Phil Foden's family life
By Jon Boon
PHIL FODEN may be flashy on the pitch, but the Premier League’s Player of the Year is a humble family man off it.
The Man City superstar earns an astonishing salary believed to be £11.7million-per-year.
But the Stockport kid is frugal with his cash as he enjoys his down time with childhood sweetheart Rebecca and their two kids.
Foden only passed his driving test last year… and turns up for training in City’s glittering club car park in a £40k VOLKSWAGEN.
And in his spare time he loves nothing more than a FISHING trip.
He celebrated his first big City contract by buying his mum and dad a Cheshire mansion and lives with them until 2021.
But Foden has now splashed out on a luxury £3million mansion for his own growing family.
Click here for to find out all about Foden’s glamorous life…
“I don’t think one game defines a player. It’s a season or a tournament that defines a player.
“There is going to be massive scrutiny on certain performances but we came away from the Serbia game with three points on the board, a clean sheet and in a good stead for this game against Denmark.”
JACK WILSHERE: Foden has done more for England than Scholes
PHIL FODEN knows and England fans know, that there’s still another gear or two to come from him, says JACK WILSHERE.
I can see why the comparison with Paul Scholes is made in terms of players who have not consistently reproduced their incredible club form when they represent their country.
I think you can make an argument that Foden has already had a more successful international career than Scholes.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved Scholes as a player and looked up to him when I was young.
His achievements with Manchester United were amazing and he was part of one of the greatest teams in history.
But Foden has already reached the final of a major tournament with England, with some nice moments along the way at Euro 2020, and he had a decent World Cup.
Meet England's Euro 2024 Wags
England Wags range from childhood sweethearts to recently blossoming love stories.
Katie Goodland (Harry Kane’s wife)
The fitness instructor has been married to the England captain since 2019 and joined him in Germany with their four children after he joined Bayern Munich.
Laura Celia Valk (Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend)
The stunning Dutch model, 25, has more than half a million Instagram followers and is said to be absolutely smitten with the Real Madrid star.
Rebecca Cooke (Phil Foden’s girlfriend)
Foden’s childhood sweetheart and the mother of his two kids tends to keep out of the spotlight, but is a regular at England games.
Dani Dyer (Jarrod Bowen’s girlfriend)
England’s most famous Wag, former Love Island winner and daughter of Eastenders’ Danny Dyer.
Iris Law (Trent Alexander-Arnold’s girlfriend)
Dani Dyer isn’t the only actor’s daughter dating an England star. Iris’ dad is Hollywood legend Jude Law.
Megan Davison (Jordan Pickford’s wife)
Megan has been with Pickford since he was 14 years old. The couple married in 2022 and have one son.
Olivia Naylor (John Stones’ girlfriend)
The 33-year-old former beautician has stepped back from her role after giving birth to a baby son.
Read more about the Wags who will be supporting England at Euro 2024 here
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