Gareth Southgate shouldered the blame for England’s abysmal performance as they were booed off following their Euro 2024 draw against Denmark on Thursday night.
Prince William, who attended the game, spoke to the players in the dressing room after the final whistle as Southgate’s side came to terms with their latest below-par performance here in Germany.
Having taken the lead through Harry Kane, England were dominated for large parts of the game as Denmark equalised through Morten Hjulmand.
England’s players were jeered off by their own fans and Southgate accepted responsibility for his team’s dismal display.
‘The team didn't function today. That's my responsibility, I'm in control of that,' he said.
‘I have to find solutions to that. The players are giving absolutely everything they have, if anything they show they care too much and it's for me to find better solutions than we've shown.
‘We have to accept that to talk about today, we didn’t press the ball with enough intensity and we kept conceding possession too cheaply and when you do those two things it is hard to have control.
‘It led to an anxious performance the longer the game went on and we understand that has to be better if we want to progress to the stages of the tournament everyone is expecting.
‘We are falling a bit short and ultimately that is my responsibility I am the manager. To achieve extraordinary things you have to go through some difficult moments.
'The challenge is to do something that has never been done before so it couldn’t be any bigger.
‘We know we have had a lot of issues but we are where we are now and we have to find the best way forward. I have to lead the group in the right way, make intelligent decisions and to be better without the ball so we are not needing to defend for periods of the game like at the moment.’
On the boos Southgate said: ‘I think we have to accept this is the environment we are in, we are in the environment of winning on the biggest stage and if we don’t hit the level we have to accept what comes our way.
‘We need the fans, they have been brilliant in the stadiums and I can understand their frustration with the way we played but these boys aren’t lacking effort.
‘We have to find a better way of playing and more quality. I don’t think anyone would look at them and say we don’t care.’
Southgate has indicated he is set to ring the changes for Tuesday’s game versus Slovenia.
‘We need to look clearly. We are disappointed with the level of the two performances we have had.
‘We have to analyse that in depth and find some solutions to address the issues we have and over the next couple of days we will spend a lot of time doing that. We know the level has to be higher and can be higher.
‘Maybe the biggest thing is we have to accept the environment around us.’
RakeshJamatia
0
Useless coach has no tactics at all with such good players pep Guardiola can win with the second squad england has.
saedisyz
0
Gareth, u have just failed. Your selection of players and the way you position them with your system of play is very pathetic
Jucbiltyz
0
England have good players But Southgate the Coward does not have the balls nor the guile to have them play decent football
Piyckloyz
0
You know the areas but you allow them to fall short of those areas
Eriksenxemontana
2
I'm just waiting for Spain.....so that they face likes of pedri, yamal, Rodrigo and Nico William..... England players will beg for mercy
yomabceors
0
sterlling and Grellish missing
Raakani
1
That means he doesn’t trust bench and the team..he should be sacked at once
keaadt
0
Fell short all over not in just two places
Nonaprsu
0
England would have been playing better without Southgate
AKBlanks
3
Unlike Germany and Spain who has already secured qualification and yet experimenting in a group stage match in a major tournament which last just over a month. Questions need to be asked
rupbcelntz
3
Blah blah blah just more spin from Southgate. Southgate has had enough time to tweak the squad to experiment he's had the pick of England's best players. Domestic clubs have always released players for England duty still he can't get it right post match statements are are the only constant!! (i:e, it's my fault, we know we can do better, blah blah blah.) England have the players to beat any team if Southgate plays players to their natural strengths, potential, and positions.
wallacehuncho254
4
so this means that . if slovenia beats England and Denmark wins against Serbia...then England will go home
kadabmrsty
2
Bellingham now he playing like top super star did nothing is not help team at all that's the problems of young star of England wen the get name the thing they over of every player look like young star of Spain they playing like hungry
kadabmrsty
1
england playing game in media always and on magazine and tv but last nite Denmark playing like a team control most of the game england look like the playing individual all 90 minutes
fokklntu
0
we miss Sterling
fokklntu
0
pickford stop playing long ball, it is confusing, there is no left wing also only zaka
kadabmrsty
0
midfielder last nite Denmark is outstanding performance in middlfilder england the suffer in around middiffilder n get lucky too cuz is game of Denmark england too individuals
Visadikmt
2
it's always the case for England before the tournament they are the top teams, but when they are in the actual tournament, they quickly become a bad team. Even the players are considered world-class. WHY????????
nlkaihe92
2
You are going home soon 🔜
lukikmnrsz
2
There's a reason why Klopp didn't play TAA in midfield because he doesn't command the midfield. 4-4-1-1 should maximize the strengths of the players at England's disposal
Naycdknr
2
England will be going home early.
viwacklouy
0
English managers and coaches are useless same goes to English referees.
deaaoprty
5
One area that needs changing is the manager...
Daaamrtz
1
1. Manager 2. Manager
jetcekmnop
1
I said, un seasoned manager picking so high by English.
pesdlmnpz
2
Good decision not to bring this coach to man united
debdimpsu
0
embrace...more excuses will come nonstop.