Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Nigeria

'Football ain't coming home with that team' - Souness ruthless on England

talksport.com, 18 June 2021, 22:15
England's lacklustre performance against Scotland was widely criticised on Friday night as Graeme Souness declared: "Football ain't coming home!"

The Three Lions mustered just one shot on target all night with Harry Kane failing to make an impact and home fans made their feelings clear at the end of the 0-0 draw by booing Gareth Southgate's side off.

Scotland great Souness was beaming at his nation's display but was not so kind to England, as he warned they won't achieve anything in his tournament unless they can somehow get talisman Kane firing again.

"Harry is England's one player proven to get goals at this level on a regular basis. If that is not happening in this competition, you're not going very far," he said.

"Go back to the World Cup in Russia, his goals got you where you got to and Harry Kane not performing is a major problem for you.

"Football ain't coming home with that, not the way they are playing."

Ian Wright also questioned some of the decisions made by Southgate on the night.

The England legend couldn't understand why Phil Foden was taken off and Jadon Sancho left on the bench.

Speaking alongside Souness on ITV, he said: "The substitutions confuse me. I don't know what to think with that.

"What's he take Foden off for? There is no way Phil Foden should be leaving the pitch today, for me. It's very disappointing to see.

"You have someone like Jadon Sancho on the bench, 16 goals and 20 assists this season, and he doesn't even get on when we need to create.

"We can talk about Harry Kane and the chances he could have had or the touches he hasn't had, but did we really create enough? We're meant to be favourites to win this tournament and I was embarrassed for us today."

Kane has not had a shot on target in the first two games of Euro 2020 and Roy Keane believes Southgate did the right thing in taking him off.

He said: "He does look leggy. He doesn't look up to speed. He's on his heels all the time. If England really want to compete in this competition, you need your star men to perform.

"We've seen Romelu Lukaku turn up, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo - they need Kane at his best.

"I'm glad Gareth took him off as there's all this talk about him being undroppable and he's the star man - if he's not performing you get him off.

"Rashford gave them a bit more energy, but still not enough."

Souness added: "The centre-backs had an easy night against him. Harry Kane was a shadow of the player we know he is.

"In two games, he looks leggy, lacking in enthusiasm. A centre-forward is 90 per cent relying on passes and he's not getting a great deal from his midfield.

"I don't care what anyone is saying. That ain't working."

Top News

21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Denmark Under-17s will look to begin the European Under-17 Championship with consecutive victories when they face Croatia under-17s on Thursday. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Cristiano Ronaldo is set to feature in his 11th major international tournament, with the Al-Nassr forward named in the Portugal squad for this summer's European Championship. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Euro 2024 will represent the 11th time England have competed at the European Championship since the tournament was first held in France back in 1960. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino reportedly has plans to hold his own in discussions with the club's co-owners. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Burnley boss Vincent Kompany has reportedly emerged as a candidate for the Bayern Munich job. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly reached a decision over the asking price of Pedro Neto. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England manager Gareth Southgate has admitted that one of the 33 players included in his Euro 2024 training squad is a "long shot" for this summer's continental championships in Germany. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England manager Gareth Southgate has explained his reasoning for snubbing Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson from his 33-man Euro 2024 training squad. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson will reportedly consider a transfer away from the Etihad Stadium this summer. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly face stern competition from another Premier League club in the race for Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England manager Gareth Southgate has announced an extended 33-man training squad ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of Liverpool's star players has dropped a major hint to suggest that he could stay at Anfield for another season following the appointment of Arne Slot as the club's new head coach. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Andre Onana has acknowledged that Manchester United have endured a "bad season" under Erik ten Hag, but he hopes the Dutchman will be given a chance to turn the club's fortunes around. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has announced that he will retire from football after representing Germany at Euro 2024 this summer. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Arsenal have seemingly been handed a boost in their efforts to add a new striker to their ranks this summer. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa are reportedly contemplating making an approach for a Barcelona defender during the summer transfer window. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England boss Gareth Southgate has reportedly decided to show faith in an injury-hit Manchester United player ahead of Euro 2024. 21 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The season is over and while the transfer window doesn't technically open until June 14, clubs across the UK and Europe are free to get deals in place ahead of next season. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have reportedly made Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen as a priority target for the summer transfer window. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England captain Harry Kane is reportedly expected to prove his fitness in time for Euro 2024. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final spot in the last 16 of the Copa do Brasil will be determined on Thursday when Ceara host CRB in the second leg of that tie at Arena Castelao. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has reportedly been ruled out of the Champions League final. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Flamengo return to action in the Copa do Brasil when they go head to head with Amazonas in the second leg of their third-round clash on Wednesday. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina have omitted Roma attacker Paulo Dybala from their provisional squad for Copa America 2024. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has named a 24-man travelling squad for Wednesday's post-season friendly against Newcastle United at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric headlines Croatia's preliminary squad for Euro 2024, with the 38-year-old set to represent his country at a major international tournament for the final time. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a first major trophy since 1963, Atalanta BC will try to conquer 'invincible' German champions Bayer Leverkusen in Wednesday's Europa League final, which takes place in Dublin. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich and Al-Nassr have reportedly expressed an interest in signing an out-of-favour Tottenham Hotspur defender this summer. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An exhilarating and captivating 2023-24 Premier League campaign has come to a close and Manchester City have been crowned champions for an unprecedented fourth season in a row, finishing two points clear of their nearest challengers Arsenal in second place. 20 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Still undefeated this season, Bayer Leverkusen can complete the second leg of a memorable treble by emerging victorious in Dublin this week, as they take on Atalanta BC for the right to be crowned Europa League champions.