Southgate's shot at redemption keeps me awake at night
I broke out in a cold sweat. It was the middle of the night – 4:16am to be precise – and I’d wrestled like a Panamanian defender or a politician for power with the idea that what if, tonight, the best team won?
A clean, straight battle, akin to what we’d seen in the France v Belgium game, between two teams who have exceeded expectations to get to the semi-final?
Samuel Umtiti scored the winning goal in a fair contest untainted by drama or allegations, leaving three teams. And yet, the raging pessimist inside my head reminds me that England, should they lose to Croatia, can still finish fourth.
The phrase “don’t get your hopes up” was coined, I’m sure, with the England football team in mind. The thought of bowing out gracefully in the semi-finals fleetingly appeals instead of suffering the gut-wrenching agony and potential worldwide humiliation of being inglorious runners up to our Gallic neighbours.
Croatia will pose England’s sternest test of the tournament to date. The sprinkling of superstars at their disposal who ply their trade for Europe’s super clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus provide this Balkan nation – often wrought with political tension and previously conflict – a realistic hope. A chequered history fleetingly replaced by joy in chequered shirts.
But our nation also requires such hope, a united feel, against a backdrop of political wrangling.
What he does on the pitch in Moscow seems arguably more critical right now, as we seek a beacon of positivity to cling to.
For all the times we’ve been wronged or sensed injustice or simply lacked luck. For the pain the England teams have suffered (we’ve had enough; ’86, ’90, ’96, ’98), we stand on the verge of wounds being healed and I don’t care how we do it.
Shilton, Pearce, Waddle, Batty would, unlike yours truly, sleep a little easier. And then there’s Southgate. This is his singular shot at redemption. A whole summer has, so far, belonged to him.
The summer of 2018; if it ends tonight, then so be it. I can cope with that. However, I long so hard for it to be extended until Sunday and witness the effects, which I’ll drift away dreaming about in what is left of this slumber.
4:40am.
ENDS
A clean, straight battle, akin to what we’d seen in the France v Belgium game, between two teams who have exceeded expectations to get to the semi-final?
Samuel Umtiti scored the winning goal in a fair contest untainted by drama or allegations, leaving three teams. And yet, the raging pessimist inside my head reminds me that England, should they lose to Croatia, can still finish fourth.
The phrase “don’t get your hopes up” was coined, I’m sure, with the England football team in mind. The thought of bowing out gracefully in the semi-finals fleetingly appeals instead of suffering the gut-wrenching agony and potential worldwide humiliation of being inglorious runners up to our Gallic neighbours.
Croatia will pose England’s sternest test of the tournament to date. The sprinkling of superstars at their disposal who ply their trade for Europe’s super clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus provide this Balkan nation – often wrought with political tension and previously conflict – a realistic hope. A chequered history fleetingly replaced by joy in chequered shirts.
But our nation also requires such hope, a united feel, against a backdrop of political wrangling.
Eyes will switch from Downing Street’s number ten, to England’s. There is anticipation that Raheem Sterling’s end product is better than that of the Prime Minister.
What he does on the pitch in Moscow seems arguably more critical right now, as we seek a beacon of positivity to cling to.
For all the times we’ve been wronged or sensed injustice or simply lacked luck. For the pain the England teams have suffered (we’ve had enough; ’86, ’90, ’96, ’98), we stand on the verge of wounds being healed and I don’t care how we do it.
Shilton, Pearce, Waddle, Batty would, unlike yours truly, sleep a little easier. And then there’s Southgate. This is his singular shot at redemption. A whole summer has, so far, belonged to him.
The summer of 2018; if it ends tonight, then so be it. I can cope with that. However, I long so hard for it to be extended until Sunday and witness the effects, which I’ll drift away dreaming about in what is left of this slumber.
4:40am.
ENDS
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