Euro 2024

FORMER England manager Glenn Hoddle believes Gareth Southgate should leave his post whether he wins the Euros or not and has backed Pep Guardiola to succeed him.The Three Lions have struggled in their opening two games of Euro 2024, edging past Serbia 1-0 before they turned in a lacklustre display in a 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday.Many believe Gareth Southgate will leave the England job after the EurosCredit: GettyEx-England boss Glenn Hoddle feels it is the right time for Southgate to step awayCredit: Dan CharitySouthgate, 53, England’s longest-serving head coach since Sir Bobby Robson, has refused to commit to the national team beyond the summer.Many believe this is his fourth and final tournament in the role irrespective of the outcome in Germany.And Hoddle, who managed England from 1996 to 1999, has urged Southgate to step away while the possibility of a second stint is still on the table.Speaking exclusively to SunSport at an event courtesy of Swedish manufacturer Husqvarna, he said: “I think if Gareth wins it, he goes. And I think if he doesn’t, he’ll go. Because if he wins it, he’s young enough to come back again. You see Koeman? Koeman’s come back.READ MORE ON EURO 2024″Gareth’s young enough. Going to club football. Even if he wasn’t good at club football, [people could think] ‘Hang on a minute, perhaps he prefers international management. And he won the Euros for us. Bang! Oh, we’ll have him back’. “So that would be a shrewd move in my opinion. Because what do you do? You win the Euros, you go to the World Cup. And if you fail in the World Cup, you’d always have that. But that’s a blemish then.”Most international managers are 75 or so. So I wouldn’t worry about that. He could always come back into the job.”And it’d be [with] open arms, wouldn’t it?”Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSHoddle has backed Pep Guardiola to succeed SouthgateCredit: GettySouthgate is England’s most successful manager since World Cup-winning head coach Sir Alf Ramsey.He reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020, before being eliminated by France in the last eight of the 2022 World Cup.Gareth Southgate issues Harry Kane injury update and says England ‘lacked intensity’ against Denmark But a negative style of play has received much criticism at this Euros.Speculation over Southgate’s successor has rumbled on for some time, with Eddie Howe and Graham Potter mooted as potential candidates.England U21 coach Lee Carsley has also been discussed.But Hoddle, who reached the last 16 as manager at the 1998 World Cup, feels the FA should look to the very top and attempt to bring in Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.He said: “I’d go for Pep. With this crop of players, I think Pep would do wonders with it.”It would cost a lot of money [to bring him in] but he might actually be ready for a bit of international football.”I’m not so sure he’d want to be Spain’s manager, coming from Barcelona.”He knows this country. Unless he wants to go to another country – [say] Italy, and manage there, or he wants a year off or whatever.”I think he’d look at all them players and go ‘Wow, I could do some damage for them’.”Guardiola’s Man City contract expires at the end of next season.He recently hinted he could be approaching the end of his time at the Etihad after winning a host of trophies including six Premier League titles and a Champions League.Asked about his future last month, he said: “The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We have talked with the club — my feeling is that I want to stay now.”So I will stay next season and during the season we will talk. But eight or nine years? We will see.”Pep Guardiola managerial recordThis is Pep Guardiola’s managerial record to date:
Clubs managed:

Barcelona B (2007-2008) – 66.67 win percentage
Barcelona (2008-2012) – 72.47 win percentage
Bayern Munich (2013-2016) – 75.16 win percentage
Manchester City (2016-present) – 72.67 win percentage

Club honours:
Barcelona B: Tercera Division.
Barcelona: LaLiga x3, Copa del Rey x2, Spanish Super Cup x3, Champions League x2, Uefa Super Cup x2, Club World Cup x2.
Bayern Munich: Bundesliga x3, German Cup x2, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup
Manchester City: Premier League x6, FA Cup x2, League Cup x4, Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup
Individual honours:

LaLiga Coach of the Year x4
Fifa World Coach of the Year
Uefa Team of the Year Best Coach x2
Premier League Manager of the Season x5
LMA Manager of the Year x3
Uefa Men’s Coach of the Year
Best Fifa Football Coach
Premier League Manager of the Month x11 More

IT was not just England’s dismal performance against Denmark that had alarm bells ringing for Alan Shearer on Thursday.Because the former Three Lions captain, 53, was also caught up in a fire drill at his hotel before the game – along with a group of interestingly dressed West Ham fans.Alan Shearer had an eventful day before England took on DenmarkCredit: BBCPundit Shearer, who later was scathing in his assessment of Gareth Southgate’s side against the Danes, explained on the Rest is Football podcast: “All was going great until we got to our hotel.“I’m just checking in and I hear a noise behind me and there’s a big group of nine, ten guys and they’re all in West Ham shirts on a stag do. The stag is dressed up in a gimp suit, with a gimp mask on, the lot.“It was like, my goodness me. ‘Shearer! Can we have a picture?’ I thought, ‘Oh God, here we go’.“So I had pictures with them all. They were all fine, all great, and I thought that’s the last I’ll see of them.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“I go upstairs and think I’ll have an hour or two’s sleep. I doze off and then the fire alarm of the whole hotel (goes off). And it was a proper loud one.“I was lying there thinking, I’m waiting for a minute, it (must be) a false alarm. Two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, five minutes. I’m thinking, this is not going off. And I’m on floor 12.“(A sign says) do not use the lift. So I look over my balcony and I can see the whole hotel outside and I can also see nine or ten West Ham guys with a gimp suit and a gimp mask and I’m thinking, ‘I don’t want to f***ing go downstairs again! But I’m going to have to’. “I’m on floor 12, down I go. By this point, I don’t know whether there was or not, but I’m thinking I can smell smoke. So I’m thinking it must be something serious.Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERS“I go downstairs, I walk straight in… ‘Shearer! Shearer!’ It’s the bloke in the gimp suit, f***ing hell, that’s all I need!“There wasn’t a fire. Ten minutes later I was back in my room.”Pundits and legends lay into EnglandENGLAND’s lifeless display in the 1-1 draw with Denmark left pundits and legends queuing up to take a dig at Gareth Southgate’s team.
Here’s the best of what was said…
ALAN SHEARER
“Awful performance, particularly after going up in the game.
“I don’t think one England player can look at themselves and say, ‘I’ve done my job tonight’.
“England were all over the place, far too sloppy in possession, gave the ball away too much and got caught too many times.
“There was no energy, no pace, no guile — Southgate is simply not getting the best out of England’s best players.
“It’s concerning and Gareth will get some serious questions.
“You saw England players lying on their backs — they look absolutely shattered but there’s no excuse for that.”
GARY LINEKER
The BBC host called the performance “lifeless and tepid”.
On Harry Kane he said: “He needs his manager to ask more of him. I would have expected that if I’d put in that kind of performance.”
RIO FERDINAND
“The players don’t look the same as they do for their clubs. It is a big concern.”
ROY KEANE
“Courage and bravery, we’re not really seeing it.
“There’s something amiss with the balance. Bellingham is waving his arms.
“This is a big test for Gareth. It looks like he’s overthinking things.”
JAMIE CARRAGHER
“My big worry watching this and for the rest of the tournament?
“England look absolutely knackered. They can’t get close to the ball.
“The surest sign of fatigue is dropping deep.
“Declan Rice is having to cover so much ground. No-one can convince me this is a strategy.”
JACK WILSHERE
“It’s strange that we have taken the lead in both games so far, yet instead of it settling us down and giving us the confidence to play, we have failed to take control.
“But what was most worrying was that Denmark had a clear way of playing — while we didn’t.” More

ENGLAND’S senior stars have pleaded with their team-mates not to panic following Thursday’s dismal draw with Denmark, according to reports.The Three Lions were booed off the pitch in Frankfurt after playing out an uninspiring 1-1 draw against the Danes.England’s senior players have tried to settle the camp after drawing with DenmarkCredit: ReutersGareth Southgate’s side have come under fire for their performanceCredit: GettyGareth Southgate and his side have been hit with a slew of criticism for their showing on Thursday evening, but the players are keen to ensure that things don’t blow out of proportion.According to the Daily Mail, England’s most experienced squad members have made an effort to ensure everyone remains calm and doesn’t panic after the points were shared.With more than ten of England’s 26-man squad playing in their first major tournament, the senior Lions have made a point of setting the right tone in the camp.It’s said that the senior stars have stressed the importance of keeping out negativity, with the Mail’s report describing the morale as “stable”.READ MORE ON EURO 2024While Kyle Walker, who is playing in his fifth major tournament, made a public effort to calm fans down after the game.Speaking to the BBC post-match, he said: “I think that’s tournament football.”This is a good Denmark team and, you know, we’re top of the group.”So let’s try and take the positives from this game in that we’ve not lost, we’ve conceded a great strike from outside the box and sometimes you have to tip your hat for good goals.”Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSPundits and legends lay into EnglandENGLAND’s lifeless display in the 1-1 draw with Denmark left pundits and legends queuing up to take a dig at Gareth Southgate’s team.
Here’s the best of what was said…
ALAN SHEARER
“Awful performance, particularly after going up in the game.
“I don’t think one England player can look at themselves and say, ‘I’ve done my job tonight’.
“England were all over the place, far too sloppy in possession, gave the ball away too much and got caught too many times.
“There was no energy, no pace, no guile — Southgate is simply not getting the best out of England’s best players.
“It’s concerning and Gareth will get some serious questions.
“You saw England players lying on their backs — they look absolutely shattered but there’s no excuse for that.”
GARY LINEKER
The BBC host called the performance “lifeless and tepid”.
On Harry Kane he said: “He needs his manager to ask more of him. I would have expected that if I’d put in that kind of performance.”
RIO FERDINAND
“The players don’t look the same as they do for their clubs. It is a big concern.”
ROY KEANE
“Courage and bravery, we’re not really seeing it.
“There’s something amiss with the balance. Bellingham is waving his arms.
“This is a big test for Gareth. It looks like he’s overthinking things.”
JAMIE CARRAGHER
“My big worry watching this and for the rest of the tournament?
“England look absolutely knackered. They can’t get close to the ball.
“The surest sign of fatigue is dropping deep.
“Declan Rice is having to cover so much ground. No-one can convince me this is a strategy.”
JACK WILSHERE
“It’s strange that we have taken the lead in both games so far, yet instead of it settling us down and giving us the confidence to play, we have failed to take control.
“But what was most worrying was that Denmark had a clear way of playing — while we didn’t.”

He added: “Listen, let’s take it as a point – a well deserved point – and we can move onto the next game”.Despite the atmosphere being in a good place for England, there is understood to be a sense that Gareth Southgate will be making changes to his starting line-up for Tuesday’s clash with Slovenia.Gareth Southgate issues Harry Kane injury update and says England ‘lacked intensity’ against Denmark Trent Alexander-Arnold could be the casualty of change with the Liverpool man likely to be switched out in the middle of the park.The natural right-back has started at central midfield in both games so far, being hooked on both occasions and replaced by Conor Gallagher.But despite options such as Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo, Southgate has explained that he doesn’t have a replacement for Kalvin Phillips in the team.Phillips was a regular under Southgate at Euro 2020 and a huge part of the team advancing to the final.However, despite not playing since 2023, Southgate has suggested there is nobody who can fill his gap in the current side – woth comments that were slammed as “insulting” by Gary Lineker.He said: “We know it is an experiment [Playing Alexander-Arnold in midfield] – we don’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips – but we are trying some different things.”At the moment, we are not flowing as we would like, that’s for sure.”READ MORE SUN STORIESEngland still remain top of Group C and will likely advance through to the last 16 regardless of their result against Slovenia on Tuesday night.However fans will be hoping for a more inspiring and attacking display when the side travel to Cologne next week.ENGLAND vs DENMARK RATINGSENGLAND stumbled to a drab 1-1 draw with Denmark.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated the Three Lions team.
Jordan Pickford: 6
Looked a little jittery early doors, though there was nothing he could do about Morten Hjulmand’s corker and he made a decent parry after the break.
Kyle Walker: 7 
Made England’s opener by racing round a sleeping Victor Kristiansen – he’ll be having nightmares of that forevermore – and teeing up Kane via a deflected cross.
John Stones: 6
OK but you have got to wonder how fit he feels having barely played for Man City in the second half of the season, plus his injury and illness issues over the last month.
Marc Guehi: 8 and my star man
Really encouraging again from the Crystal Palace centre-back, looking sharp with his interceptions and assured in distribution.
Kieran Trippier: 6
Like Stones, he was fine, but England really need Luke Shaw back ASAP because having no natural left-footer at left-back is a problem.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5
This experiment of playing Trent in midfield is far from convincing, especially when his passing was off it like it was here, barring one good ball to Saka. Subbed on 54 minutes.
Declan Rice: 5
Had to cover so much ground as England dropped worryingly deep in the first half and also lost it a few times in front of his back four.
Bukayo Saka: 7
Not quite as electric as his first half against Serbia, but another solid showing from our right winger who has been our most consistent attacker across the two games.
Jude Bellingham: 6
Nowhere near the majestic display he put in against Serbia and one of many who looked tired.
Phil Foden: 7
Was far more involved than against Serbia – although that was not hard – and had a few dangerous efforts from range, including one that smacked the post after the break.
Harry Kane: 6
Netted his 64th goal for his country with an opener he could not really miss, but then gave the ball away from Denmark’s leveller. Surprisingly subbed.
SUBS:
Conor Gallagher (on for Trent, 54): 7
Vital clearance on the stretch when Christian Eriksen was lurking and was not afraid to put his foot in.
Ollie Watkins (on for Kane, 70): 6
Played in by Bellingham’s lovely ball after coming on but could not finish from an acute angle.
Jarrod Bowen (on for Foden, 69): 6
Copped a nasty tackle which saw Joakim Maehle booked.
Eberechi Eze (on for Saka, 69): 6
On for his tournament bow though he was rarely involved. More

THIERRY HENRY has been backed as a shock contender for the Wales job.That’s the view of ex-Dragons striker Robert Earnshaw, who wants the Arsenal legend to replace the sacked Robert Page.Thierry Henry ‘understands Welsh football’ according to Robert EarnshawCredit: AFPHenry – France’s current Under-21s boss – did his coaching badges alongside Earnshaw in Wales.The former Premier League star, 46, will also coach his country at the Paris Olympics this summer.Earnshaw said: “One name who is left field but I’d throw is Thierry Henry. It’s my own personal thought.”I spent some time with Thierry on the coaching course a couple of years ago. He was on the Welsh FA course.READ MORE ON EUROS”He knows (technical director) David Adams and the set-up. He understands Welsh football.”The one thing that stood out when I was sat with Thierry was his football brain is brilliant.”With France U21s and the Olympic team, he understands young players. He would raise the bar and the level. I don’t know whether he would want it.”I could see someone like Thierry doing it. His football brain is brilliant, he’s so sharp, advanced and has got great ideas.”Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSThierry Henry career stats
Playing career:
Monaco – 141 games, 23 goals
Juventus – 20 games, three goals
Arsenal – 377 games, 228 goals
Barcelona – 121 games, 49 goals
New York Red Bulls – 135 games, 52 goals
Managerial career:
Monaco – 2018-19
Montreal Impact – 2019-21
France U21s – 2023-present

Osian Roberts, Como’s head of development, is the bookies’ favourite with Burnley interim boss Craig Bellamy also in the frame. Ex-Wales managers Ryan Giggs and Mark Hughes are keen to get back into management too.Ex-striker Earnshaw, who won 59 Wales caps and scored 16 goals, has worked with Roberts before and played for his country alongside Bellamy.Euro 2024 fan in ‘unhinged’ act towards Antoine Griezmann during Netherlands clash with France Earnshaw added: “Osian was my U-18 coach and then assistant to Gary Speed. I’ve known him a long time. He’s put in a lot of time, has experience and is a very good coach.”Craig has taken a few years to learn the ropes and work behind the scenes. He’s very professional and very good with young players.”I went to Anderlecht a few years ago when he was the U21s coach. He was coaching the likes of (Jeremy) Doku.”I came away and loved the way they played, tactically really sharp, advanced, forward intent football and an exciting team.”He is one who would demand more than what the players feel they can give. Some of the best managers get an extra 10, 15 or 20 per cent better out of myself. I can see him doing the job,We have to be careful that we choose the right one to bring the best out of the players. I don’t think under Robert we saw the best out of the players constantly.”Ex-Cardiff boss Neil Warnock, 75, said he would consider the vacant job.READ MORE SUN STORIESTorquay’s football advisor was speaking at an event in the Welsh capital on Friday night when he was asked about succeeding Page. Warnock replied: “Absolutely.” More