NEW DELHI: Following a goalless draw with Slovenia at the
Euro 2024
tournament on Tuesday,
England fans
displayed their dissatisfaction by throwing plastic beer cups in the direction of manager
Gareth Southgate
.
This incident occurred at the
Cologne Stadium
, where Southgate and his team approached the stands to acknowledge the supporters after the match had concluded.
Despite this act of frustration from the fans, it is noteworthy that England secured their advancement to the round of 16 as the leaders of Group C.
Southgate expressed his understanding of the fans' actions and emphasized the importance of maintaining the supporters' backing for the team. He acknowledged the critical narrative directed towards him but preferred it over any negativity being aimed at his players.
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“I understand it. I’m not going to back away from it. Most important thing here is that the supporters stay with the team. I understand the narrative towards me and that’s better than it being towards them (the players). But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I’ve not seen any team qualify and receive similar,” Southgate said, as quoted by AP.
Southgate reflected on the progress made over the past six to seven years, emphasizing the enjoyment and fun brought back into the England setup during his tenure.
“We’ve made England over the last six or seven years fun again. I think it has been enjoyable for the players. We’ve got to be very, very careful that it stays that way," he added.
England's qualification for the knockout stages was already confirmed before their match against Slovenia. Finishing as the winner of Group C positions England to face one of the third-placed qualifying teams in the round of 16.
Additionally, this outcome places England on the opposite side of the draw from notable
football
powerhouses such as Spain, France, Germany, and Portugal, potentially affecting their path in the tournament.
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