It fits in with the turbulent history of the English national team, that even if there is noise, even if everything should be good. 7-0 won the English in Wembley against Montenegro the 1000th international match their history and secured even before the final qualifying match in Kosovo on Sunday (18 clock, SPIEGEL live ticker) the EM participation in the coming year.
In the final phase, the wave wandered over the ranks of the autumnally cool National Stadium. Nevertheless, the happiness was tarnished at Gareth Southgate. "An England player should never be booed when he wears the national jersey, never!" Said the coach. The object of his reprimand were those parts of the audience, the defenders Joe Gomez had welcomed at his substitution in the 70th minute with boos.
The pro of Liverpool was in the lead of the game in the center, because he had come on Monday in a scuffle with his colleague Raheem Sterling from championship rivals Manchester City in the team canteen, which had sterling suspension against Montenegro result.
Ghosts of the past
Everyone involved tried their best to leave the episode behind, but the reserved reception for Gomez showed it was not so easy. The modernizer Southgate continues to battle with ghosts of the past.
One reason for the notorious failure of the English at major tournaments are traditionally club hostilities, which press on the working climate in the national team. Former professionals such as Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have openly testified that at the time there was mistrust and paranoia between the players of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Under Southgate that was actually different so far. He has made the national team a harmonious alliance, closed to adversity, both for the games on the pitch and for off-field issues such as the racist insults one month ago in Bulgaria.
Offenders and victims
His selection was "a family," the coach has just said. He does not want to allow peace to be jeopardized by club feuds, as he showed with his exile for one night. However, this procedure is risky. Some squad members allegedly overdone the penalty for the team's star, including Sterling himself.
The spectators in Wembley were also forced to take sides in the conflict, which was made clear by the whistles against Gomez. He was in the dispute in the canteen not perpetrators, but victims, the Southgate and Sterling after the victory against Montenegro clear. Sterling wrote to Twitter that it was hard for him to see his teammate booed.
The English carry a few uncertainties around with them, even athletic. They hope for a great litter again at the European Championships in the summer because they have home-field advantage. You may play all of the preliminary rounds of the continental tournament in Wembley. The semi-finals and final are also held in the holy National Stadium. However, the easy qualifiers do not allow any serious conclusions about the title chances of the World Cup fourth.
Bump filled pot with talents
Southgate is still looking for his first team. As big as the potential is in the storm with Sterling, captain Harry Kane, who scored three against Montenegro, and the Dortmund Jadon Sancho, so questionable is the suitability of the defensive. The defense of Manchester City's Harry Maguire and John Stones of Manchester City are under pressure even against weak opponents prone to the role in the defensive midfield in his 4-3-3, the coach has not found a solution.
Against Montenegro Southgate sent the youngest team for 60 years on the lawn - a proof that the English have a full pot filled with talent. But the new generation could not yet play. Chelsea's youngsters Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi are in five, four and two appearances, while James Maddison of Leicester City ran for the first time ever against Montenegro in the national jersey.
The coach has the task of finding the right balance of experience and youth by the summer. And he must prevent the noise from the affair of Gomez and Sterling reverberate.
Hard to say what the more complicated task is.
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