Gareth Southgate will make significant changes to the England team for Saturday’s Nations League match against Italy, as he admitted “player welfare” is a factor.
The manager referenced how many of the major nations like Spain and France made between seven and 10 changes for what he described as “a unique set of games”. Aaron Ramsdale and Tammy Abraham will potentially start at the expense of Jordan Pickford and Harry Kane, respectively, with Southgate stating he will seek to use both in at least one of the two remaining games.
While the England manager again acknowledged that runs the risk of a poor result and criticism, he reiterated his decision-making has to go beyond that, especially in a World Cup year. Speaking figuratively, Southgate said some of the players could “barely walk in the dressing room”, after a “phenomenal effort” coming back to draw 1-1 away to Germany.
Asked whether he would make changes, Southgate said: “I think we will because I think you have seen right across Europe – France changed 10, Spain changed eight, Portugal changed seven. So this is quite a unique set of games where teams are thinking about player welfare to a degree, freshness, but also they are preparing for a World Cup because they know what’s coming and what they haven’t got in terms of friendlies ahead of the tournament. So strategically it’s a bit of a unique situation and I think you are seeing it right across Europe”.
It was put to Southgate that Kane will be one player who wants to be involved as much as possible, in order to break Wayne Rooney’s England men’s goalscoring record, even though it is surely the case that he needs a rest.
The manager referenced Luka Modric’s exertions for Croatia, but admitted there is a need to also test Abraham in that position.
"Well Modric wasn't far off that and he's 36. So what I would say is that we've clearly got to look after the welfare of the players,” added Southgate.
“That's part of what we were doing on Saturday, with a view to having the freshness we were going to need [against Germany] to compete. But Harry is also a phenomenal professional in the way he looks after himself. I'm not saying he's going to get his desire to start all four games by the way because there's also Tammy that we want to see perform as well. But he would get himself there, that's for sure.”
Southgate struck a similar tone when discussing Ramsdale.
“I’m not going to give everything away but we will have a look at another goalkeeper at least once in this period,” he explained. “We felt that was the right way to approach this set of games and we also know that we need to try and give those boys more experience as well.
“I know what I wanted from these games. I know the emphasis I put in my head and I also accept that with England you are going to be judged and you have got to win every match. You will be judged solely on that. But I’ve got to think a little bit differently to that and accept that if there is criticism then, fine, I have got to get on with it and have got to make the right decisions for the players, for the team, to try to improve the team and if that means criticism then so be it.”
