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Southgate prioritises England Under-21 style over results

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments88

Gareth Southgate and Roy Hodgson

New England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate says his team's style of play will take precedence over results.

Southgate added that his primary role was to prepare players for the senior team rather than win tournaments.

"I'm under a little less pressure for results, although we want to get them in the habit of winning," Southgate told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek.

"But winning alone is not our aim. They've got to learn to win a certain way to be of use to the seniors."

Former England defender and Middlesbrough manager Southgate recently succeeded Stuart Pearce, who left in June following a disappointing European Championship.

Southgate was previously the Football Association head of elite development, leaving the post in July 2012.

"It's a position of great responsibility," added the 42-year-old.

"There's an opportunity to play in a certain style that will prepare these youngsters for when they go into the senior team.

"The top sides in the Premier League play a possession-based game and to be successful at international level that's the way we need to play.

"Culturally, maybe because of the way football has been historically taught in England, we haven't encouraged more creative players to come through.

"But I do see a new breed of players coming through that are much more technically proficient.

"Although technique isn't the only determining factor. They have to be tremendously physical and mentally strong as well."

Southgate's first game in charge is the 2015 European Championship qualifier against Moldova on 5 September at Reading's Madejski Stadium, before his team face Finland away four days later.

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88 comments

  • Comment posted by Commentator, at 13:36 1 Sep 2013

    @ 3.United for Life

    What has Chris Moyles and Radio 1 got to do with anything?

  • Comment posted by Big Ernie McCracken, at 16:23 1 Sep 2013

    The state of British youth football? Put it this way, if there was a choice between Kevin Francis (remember him?) and lionel Messi as to which got signed as a youth, Lionel Messi would've ended up working as a filing clerk

  • Comment posted by doodle dandy, at 13:48 1 Sep 2013

    The idea of establishing a English keep-ball style from under 21s to senior makes total sense as it enables progression upwards to be so much easier. Players simply slot in and the style and tactical expections are familiar. However, this really only works if it goes down to under 19s, 18s, 17s, 16s etc. Who will do that?

  • Comment posted by U13960441, at 13:37 1 Sep 2013

    I think they are both equally important. Southgate plays terrible football with no results, making him perfect for England.

  • Comment posted by Mark, at 23:46 1 Sep 2013

    I don't care if England U21s win another game, just get the players to pass accurately, have lots of movement, and when they're in the last third, trying to beat their player with every trick in the book.

  • Comment posted by BaggiosPonytail, at 20:30 1 Sep 2013

    Maybe he should start by asking Hodgson why Barkley and Sterling are in the senior squad and not where they should be which is the U21 team. Sterling has been a bit part player for Liverpool since the start of the year and is in no way ready for the senior side.

  • Comment posted by Albionontheup, at 18:20 1 Sep 2013

    Heard Gareth on the radio today and thought he spoke a lot of sense, sadly I don't think he has the ability or tactical nous to pull these ideas off. I'm not happy that once again he's mentioned physical power, I'd be happy if up to U21 level England didn't play anyone over 5'5. We don't need 11 6'4 bodybuilders, we need 11 footballers.

  • Comment posted by U13917472, at 14:15 1 Sep 2013

    What does Southgate know about playing with style? As for winning not being a priority, that's fine as an ethos for youth sides on under sized pitches to encourage flair, but by the time players are adults and on the verge of the senior national side, you'd expect them to have a winning mentality, not a results aren't the main aim attitude! BTW If England want style, don't employ Gareth & Roy!

  • Comment posted by U14817617, at 13:40 1 Sep 2013

    Hopefully with Gareth having some affiliation with Villa he might now pick some of our players. We've got several good young English players in our first team, many more in our squad. Our under 19s conquered Europe last season winning the NextGen Series. But only ONE of our players is in any England squad from Under 17s upwards. Josh Webb. It's as if they forget we exist. Bizarre.

  • Comment posted by More Like It, at 20:07 1 Sep 2013

    Southgate seems right. He also said England need to play their best U21s at U21 level, and get used to playing well in tournament finals.

    England are good at qualifying campaigns, but too often do the tournaments badly, at many levels.

  • Comment posted by U15705086, at 18:58 1 Sep 2013

    @67

    If you're a journalist, then I'm Gareth Southgate.

  • Comment posted by U14998231, at 17:01 1 Sep 2013

    @51 - No, it's not that simple. That's what you want from the senior team, the U/21s are about learning how to play international football - winning is a bonus. At youth and U/21 level, England could easily field a team of strong physical players that could bully a more technical team into defeat but that teaches them nothing and they run into trouble when the other teams mature physically.

  • Comment posted by An opinion, at 16:10 1 Sep 2013

    All minor league managers should have to take FA coaching courses as mandatory requirement for managing any team under 12. This would eradicate the dad manger syndrome where the mangers son get preferential treatment. Also there should be no league structure until boys are 12 as too much emphasis is placed on winning game's, leagues and how many goals players score. FA are clueless

  • Comment posted by U15724736, at 16:08 1 Sep 2013

    Duff (45) has it wrong. Southgate's players are unlikely to be regular Premier league starters, any more than under 21s in other major footballing countries can hit that standard. It doesn't matter if they are in Championship or League One regular spots, provided they get game time and the chance to shine.

  • Comment posted by U14998231, at 16:03 1 Sep 2013

    Historically in the UK, we've taken the biggest, strongest boys from youth levels and signed them because they stood out at that level, not by ability but because they could physically dominate a game. Coaches would then try and improve their technical ability, which is like pushing water uphill with a pointed stick.

  • Comment posted by Duffman, at 15:57 1 Sep 2013

    Sadly like all England managers at under 21 and full international level Southgate has no chance of success until power is wrestled from the all powerful Premier league. Like Hodgson his players will not even make the bench at the likes of Man City, Spurs, Chelsea etc in a league more dominated than ever by overseas players. Right attitude by Southgate but sadly a system weighted against him.

  • Comment posted by Matt1981, at 15:52 1 Sep 2013

    Glad Gareth Southgate has been given another opportunity to prove himself. He was thrown in at the deep end at Boro. Good luck to the man because he is a decent bloke who will hopefully instill a hardworking attitude aswell.

  • Comment posted by U15357596, at 15:49 1 Sep 2013

    @41

    Its just hypocritical. Unless the player plays for their club team then he is a hopeless amateur.

    Dont want to say it has anything to do with jealousy but cant deny that it seems like jealousy of the fact that the 'fan' couldnt make it as a professional footballer has something to do with it.

  • Comment posted by U1785882, at 14:45 1 Sep 2013

    So he even admitted he wasnt ready for middlesbrough, he took us down with awful management, bad buys, bad everything. How come he is ready for England under 21s suddenly? Maybe he should start in the lower leagues instead. Although maybe this is starting in the lower leagues...

  • Comment posted by doodle dandy, at 14:20 1 Sep 2013

    Looks like we're all saying the same thing over and over, in a nut shell ...

    "yeh yeh yeh nice idea but only if it goes right down to all the other younger levels down to under 16 etc"

    Can someone somewhere please tell the FA now please????

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