Across Europe, it is a time of new beginnings and new eras, of new players and new managers. That can be the way after major tournaments: disappointments lead to clearouts, international retirements to opportunities, different regimes to a shift in thinking and personnel. Then there is England. While change has been a guiding theme, whether for France or Germany, Spain or Italy, Gareth Southgate’s side have been Europe’s kings of continuity.
Two games have brought one brief debut, for Ivan Toney. Nine of their World Cup quarter-final starting 11 began the first Euro 2024 qualifier. If the broader theme is one of more of the same, but preferably with a different ending featuring the glint of silverware, the fixture list offered precious little scope for experimentation: not when the first game was Italy in Naples. With six points from six, the tried and trusted have passed their test. Southgate was considering his future until the World Cup. England now have added reasons to be glad he stayed on. This could have been a hospital pass of a start. “This would have been a complicated week for someone else to come in and take two matches with such a quick turnaround,” the manager said.
