JUST eight caps into his England career and Joe Gomez will be wondering whether it is all worth it.
With a Wembley crowd weary of Montenegro’s pitiful resistance in Thursday’s 7-0 rout, the Liverpool defender provided some light entertainment to a few hundred idiots.
Joe Gomez will be wondering whether it is all worth it after eight England capsCredit: Rex Features
The Liverpool defender provided some light entertainment to a few hundred idiotsCredit: Rex Features
Booed on to the field when he replaced Mason Mount in the 70th minute, Gomez was first off the pitch at the end.
He was in so much distress inside the dressing room that it needed family and friends to console the poor kid.
Southgate, appearing anxious and fretful after the victory, seemed to be in a hurry to get post-match commitments out of the way.
He wanted to spend time with Gomez, to get up to the players’ lounge as speedily as possible to give his young star maximum support.
At 22, the innocent party in the ‘Scratch of the Day’ incident with Raheem Sterling, he would have needed it.
Boss Southgate said: “Yes, it was audible. It’s for us to pick him up.
“He’s a young player who’s had a difficult week and my priority is to support him — but I know all of the lads are going to get around him.
“I know that’s happening now and will happen over the next few days.”
Booed on to the field when he replaced Mason Mount in the 70th minute, Gomez was first off the pitch at the endCredit: Rex Features
Gomez was in so much distress inside the dressing room that it needed family and friends to console the poor kidCredit: Getty – Contributor
Southgate is so good in these situations, he has a manner of great compassion and class when his players are struggling.
He likes Gomez, sees something in him that can be developed into a truly top-class international.
Southgate is unfazed by his lack of game time at Liverpool, respectful of the solid partnership formed between Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk.
Gomez, still adapting after his injury troubles, is a big part of Southgate’s extended England family.
Southgate would have reacted the same way for any of his players, but Gomez’s innocence is inescapable.
Wembley can be a lonely place, especially for a player looking up at the steeply banked stands.
John Barnes has been there, routinely jeered by punters when he was playing for the national team.
Ashley Cole — losing an horrific PR battle with ex-wife Cheryl Tweedy — also got the full treatment from England fans.
Gomez was the innocent party in the ‘Scratch of the Day’ incident with Raheem SterlingCredit: Rex Features
And even Frank Lampard, England player of the year in 2005, returned from the 2006 World Cup in Germany to chants of “you let your country down” just 12 months later.
To come through that, to have the skin of a rhino, takes a resilient human being.
It tests their constitution, their ability to cope when a stadium turns on them because of their public profile.
The boos for Gomez felt more sinister. He will be wondering whether he did something wrong, or if he could have handled the canteen spat with Sterling any better.
That is a natural human reaction. By all credible accounts, Gomez behaved properly during his exchange with Sterling on Monday.
Left-back Ben Chilwell stressed that the whole squad is backing Gomez. He added: “I have known Joe for a long time, it is not nice to hear that sort of thing.
“No one deserves to be booed, everyone is behind Joe, he is a great player and a great guy and we all support each other.
“Everyone wants the fans to get behind the whole team. But Joe is a very strong character.
“He played well when he came on.
“We all moved on from it the day after it happened.
“We are going to be supportive of Joe and behind him.
“Everyone has moved on from it in the camp. Now we just want everyone else, including the fans, to move on from it as well.”
Gomez even had some immediate online support from Monday’s opponent, with Sterling tweeting his sympathy for his England team-mate.
Southgate said: “Raheem’s tweet speaks volumes — that says it all really.
Gareth Southgate baffled by England fans booing Gomez
“The whole dressing room is together. The narrative seems to be that we are a camp in absolute disarray and it just isn’t the case.
“The performance showed that, the reaction Raheem has given with that statement shows they are very, very close.
“We’re all hugely disappointed for Joe — he doesn’t deserve that in any way, shape or form.
“I’ll repeat what I said earlier: No player in an England shirt should be booed.” Quite right.
Gomez even had some immediate online support from Monday’s opponent, with Sterling tweeting his sympathy for his England team-mateCredit: Reuters
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
