Gareth Southgate reveals he has been learning German for months with England manager’s contract set to expire this year
ENGLAND are hoping Gareth Southgate finally walks the walk and delivers Euro 2024 glory this summer – but he can certainly talk the talk in Germany.
He is currently preparing his Three Lions for Sunday’s opening group match against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.
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England then take on Denmark in Frankfurt on Thursday before finishing their Euro 2024 group stage against Slovenia in Cologne on Tuesday 25 June.
Southgate led England to the World Cup semi-final in 2018 and quarter-final four years later. And he almost delivered Euro success inbetween only for our boys to be defeated by Italy on penalties in the final of Euro 2020.
But while he has been getting set for another crack at it, Southgate has also been working on improving his language skills.
The 53-year-old, whose contract expires later this year and who has yet to pen an extension, was determined to be able to be a “good ambassador” and learn the local lingo.
And that has led to him using the Duolingo app to help him speak German.
He told SPORT BILD: “I learned a little French and Spanish at school. But never German.
“I would be embarrassed if I couldn’t greet the staff in our hotel properly in the morning during the tournament.
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“Of course most people speak English, we’re spoiled in that respect. But we can be arrogant sometimes and I want to at least try.
“I want to be a good ambassador for the English people.”
Gareth Southgate will take the handbrake off at Euro 2024... because he has no choice
By Charlie Wyett
GARETH SOUTHGATE will have no choice but to take the handbrake off his England team at Euro 2024.
The defensive crisis gripping the Three Lions means the only option in Germany, within reason, will be outright attack.
Southgate has often been lambasted for his safety-first approach — even if he points out you must go back to Walter Winterbottom’s sides in the 1950s to find an England manager with a better scoring record.
But with the crocked Harry Maguire left out, Luke Shaw not fit enough to start the tournament and John Stones having made just 12 Premier League starts this season, this is not a defence you would stake your life on.
The last time England went to a major tournament in Germany — the 2006 World Cup — the four centre-backs selected were Sol Campbell (68 caps), Rio Ferdinand (47), Jamie Carragher (25) and John Terry (24).
This time, when England fly out on Monday, the quartet will be Lewis Dunk (six), Joe Gomez (14), Marc Guehi (ten) and Ezri Konsa (three).
It makes Southgate’s decision not to recall the 49-cap Eric Dier for his provisional squad even stranger — especially considering his strong end to the season with Bayern Munich.
The elder statesman in his defence — and the one who absolutely has to stay fit — is 71-cap Stones.
Recalling when he and his staff visited the base camp in Blankenhain, Southgate said: “We were having dinner and the waiter came and all I could say was ‘excuse me’.
“Then we discussed it at the table and I said that I don’t speak German. Someone recommended that I try ‘Duolingo’.
“Since then, I’ve tried to learn a little bit every day.”
Southgate originally revealed back in March that he “wasn’t very proud” after visiting Germany to scope out training bases and for the Euro draw.
He said: “The only thing I am doing at the moment is trying to learn German for the summer.
“I was conscious when we went on the recces and to the draws, I actually hadn’t got a clue.
Expect fast-flowing action and less VAR in Euros... but clampdown on moaning stars
EXPECT Euro 2024 to be a lightning fast tournament, says Mark Halsey.
Referees will allow the game to flow, there will be less VAR intervention and automated offsides as well as ball technology from adidas will make for quick decision-making.
Uefa refs’ chief Roberto Rosetti shows clear leadership and direction.
He has picked the best officials across Europe including a team from Argentina and after a week-long of pre-tournament training, the refs will be ready to deliver Rosetti’s vision.
I hope we’ll see a competition closer to the Champions League than the Premier League – and will form the blueprint for Howard Webb and our officials next season.
Rosetti has picked Clement Turpin for Friday’s opener between Germany and Scotland in Munich. Frenchman Turpin is very experienced and trusted and Uefa always go for a safe bet with one of their top refs in the first game.
It will be interesting to see if Turpin carries out the clampdown on player and coach misbehaviour, with only captains supposed to approach refs on key-match decision-making.
Turpin is one of seven refs who I believe are the best in the tournament.
The others include the Prem’s Michael Oliver as well as Danny Makkelie of the Netherlands, Poland’s Syzmon Marciniak, Italian ref Daniele Orsato, Germany’s Daniel Siebert and Slavko Vincic of Slovenia.
Oliver enters the tournament on Saturday for Spain’s clash with Croatia and I wish him and Anthony Taylor and their teams all the best.
Refs will know if they make a major error then they will not get another game.
“I wasn’t very proud of that. So I’m trying to at least be able to have some interaction with people there.”
However, despite all of his cramming up on the language, it seems he is still not confident enough to speak to the local media in their native tongue.
He added: “I’m not sure how far I’ll get and whether I’ll ever be able to give a press conference in German.”
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