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Kane in crisis, toxic pressure: What Europe thinks of England at Euro 2024

VaselineJune 28, 2024

0 5 minutes read

Kane in crisis, toxic pressure: What Europe thinks of England at Euro 2024

Image caption, England qualified top of Group C, conceding just one goal in the tournament so far

Author, Alex Bysouth
Role, BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Berlin
9 minutes ago

Underperforming English sides at a major tournament can cause a nationwide echo of opinion – with grumbling and groaning, back-passing and a lack of Kalvin Phillips it can be hard to see the light.

England may have failed to inspire excitement at Euro 2024 so far, but the Three Lions did qualify for the last 16 by beating Group C and face an arguably favourable trajectory in the knockouts, starting with Slovakia, who go into Sunday’s match ranked 45th in the world.

So is the view of England too pessimistic? Are we expecting too much from Gareth Southgate? Are the media too critical?

For example, Cesc Fabregas, World Cup and two-time European Championship winner, says that the Spanish press is even stricter against their national team.

“The English media are not so harsh on the players,” he added. “It’s just the opposite. In Spain we are much more critical.”

It begs the question: what does the rest of Europe think of England?

‘It quickly becomes toxic’

Guillem Balague, Spanish football journalist

We are all very disappointed in the Spanish media. We built this England because we like the people in it, because we like Southgate, because of the potential, because of the success with the clubs – we built them as one of the candidates.

The response is to try to find explanations. We experience the same things as the English press, but the conclusions are a little different.

For example, there is talk of using ‘names’ rather than players who can play a role in the big Southgate idea – relying on names and some playing out of position.

Jude Bellingham does not fill the role he fills for England at Real Madrid, which is handled by Toni Kroos. Bellingham is the man who arrives in the penalty area and is close to the attackers, he doesn’t do that for England.

Phil Foden and Bellingham are too similar, two number 10s, and they use more or less the same space and influence. And there are no wide players. We don’t understand why Anthony Gordon came so late?

Also the fear, the pressure put on the England team by everyone – media, fans, everyone. It amazes us how quickly it becomes toxic.

‘Is Southgate ready to make big decisions?’

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Gareth Southgate has been England manager since 2016

Pierre-Etienne Minonzio, a French journalist for L’Equipe who covers England at major tournaments, says Southgate has “lost his golden touch”

This is the first time I don’t really understand Gareth. I was a huge supporter and sometimes at L’Equipe they would joke that I was obsessed with him – I always defended him and felt that some English people were unfair to him in the past.

But for the first tournament, I don’t really understand some of his decisions. For example, it is clear to me that Foden is not good when he plays on the left. They tried to switch with Bellingham, but that didn’t work.

It reminds me a bit of Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2004, when he wanted to play all his best players in midfield: Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes and Beckham.

I was quite surprised that Southgate accepted fans throwing cups at him, he gives the impression that he accepts everyone criticizing him, takes the burden, ‘it’s my job…’ – I’m not sure if that is a good attitude, because you expect the English manager to defend himself a little more. He seems a bit passive.

I didn’t understand why he referred to Kalvin Phillips, because he hasn’t been good at all in the last few months? For the first time in his communication, one of the things he was so good at, and in his choices, I don’t really understand Southgate.

Before the tournament, in L’Equipe, we said that England were among the big favorites, but now we would say Spain or Germany.

We can’t see in the short term what would make it better. You have to start Cole Palmer, maybe throw Foden out, but is Southgate ready to make such big decisions?

We will see. If he does, we may view him differently, but at the moment England are considered disappointing in this tournament.

‘Other countries also have concerns’

Arthur Renard, Dutch football journalist about Euro 2024

I don’t put too much stock in group stage matches, mainly because England finished first, and there have been quite a few countries that haven’t been as impressive, for example France and the Netherlands who finished second and third.

In a way you could say England did what they had to do, which was finish first, and they are probably in a good position in the knockout stages.

But you could tell the team isn’t thriving, and only two goals in the group stage isn’t much when you consider the attacking talent they have. That surprised people, but I remember in 2016 Portugal drew three times in the group stage and won.

It is the same in many other countries, with concerns about performance. All it takes is one match to really get the tournament going, and that could happen in the next round.

‘A meeting with England is much more welcome’

Daniele Verri, Italian football journalist based in Germany

The perception around England has changed since the start of the tournament. England were better against Italy in the qualifiers on matchday one in Naples when Roberto Mancini was still manager, and better in the return leg at Wembley – England won the group and deservedly so.

But Euro 2024 has started, with players mentally and physically tired, a long season in many competitions, pressure and Foden and others not performing, Bellingham and Kane not putting their best foot forward. We now see England as dangerous, while before the tournament they were among the top favourites, together with France, Germany and Portugal.

England are still considered one of the top teams, but everyone in Italy now says: ‘They don’t perform, they don’t look like a team, there is no dynamism on the pitch – players stand and wait for the ball, they don’t. ‘don’t play as a team, even the stars don’t perform’.

England are still considered a better team than Italy. In terms of starting XI they have more quality, but a potential quarter-final encounter is much more welcome than Germany or France.

‘Is Harry Kane in crisis?’

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Harry Kane scored his only goal of the group stage against Denmark

Illya Glushchenkov, Mariya Kondrachuk, Margaryta Maliukova and Gennadiy Kot from BBC Monitoring on what was said in the European newspapers

Italy’s Corriere dello Sport said the draw against Slovenia was “the straw that broke the camel’s back for England fans”, while German tabloid Bild criticised those who threw empty cups at Southgate after the lacklustre performance.

“The anger of the English fans is understandable given the terrible performance of their team, but this action now goes too far!” said Bild.

Meanwhile, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said “the English are the great puzzle of the European Championship”, while also wondering: “Is Harry Kane in crisis?”

“The criticism of him is getting louder, but the Bayern striker is ready to hit back,” the club said.

French outlet Le Monde said during its live coverage: “We are bored during the second half!” And Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf wondered why England “keeps playing with the handbrake on and makes incomprehensible choices”.

And finally, Georgia fans on social media joked about striker Georges Mikautadze scoring more goals than the entire England squad during the group stage.

VaselineJune 28, 2024

0 5 minutes read