Gareth Southgate says he will block out any criticism directed towards inconsistent results in the buildup to the World Cup and refuse to let negative opinions interfere with his planning.
England came out of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Germany in decent shape after equalising late on and finishing the game strongly. The outcome felt important after a surprise 1-0 defeat by Hungary and before Saturday’s visit of Italy, a rerun of the Euro 2020 final. Southgate, asked whether a degree of realism around setbacks is needed during a schedule that gave his squad four Nations League ties in 11 days, explained the importance of sticking to his convictions.
