Gareth Southgate steps up as England prepare for Colombia World Cup test

By Simon Johnson2 July 2018

Gareth Southgate will take full responsibility for England's World Cup campaign as he called on his squad to keep their focus on Tuesday's last-16 tie against Colombia.

England take on Colombia knowing they haven’t won a knockout match at a major competition for 12 years.

Southgate is confident his players are ready to stamp their own place in history, but wants to make it clear that the pressure to deliver in Russia is solely on him.

"As the manager, you always have to have aims, dreams, goals, ambitions," he said. "We’re in the business of bringing hope to a nation, it is a privileged place to be in.

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“As leader and manager of the team, of course I have huge belief. It is my responsibility, I’m the manager.

“I am supported by fantastic staff. I’m very reliant on those people but in the end I’m responsible and I’m happy for that to be the case.

“I want players to go out the way they have (in the World Cup) so far. They’re good enough, technically it is a very good group. They want to play with style, they have high energy. We need to see that and am sure we will.”

With a number of favourites for the competition - including Spain, Germany and Argentina - already knocked out, England appear to have a great pathway to reach the final in Moscow.

Should they defeat Colombia, they will meet the winners of Sweden vs Switzerland in the last eight before playing the victors of Russia vs Croatia in the semi-final.

But Southgate added: "We’ve been in this position before so it is pointless to even think what might happen after tomorrow’s game. We must focus on that and then everything will fall into place.

“Maybe teams who are no longer here aren’t as strong this time and those that are here have hit a level that is very high, they have to be respected. We haven’t even discussed anything beyond tomorrow.

“We always try to psychologically prepare the team, get them in the right moment, whether that is calming them down down or giving them a push.

“What we sense is an excitement, an understanding that it is pointless looking any further. Maybe it is a trap we fell into in the past.”

Tuesday will mark 999 days since Raheem Sterling scored his last England goal, but Southgate has no doubts over his talent at this level.

MICHAEL MAYHEW

“I have great belief in him,” he stated. “He is a really important part of the team.

"At times I have wondered why the focus is on him and not on others, but he is tough and resilient and he is immensely looking forward to this occasion.”

Southgate also confirmed that midfielder Fabian Delph is still at home where his wife is about to give birth to their third child, but has yet to rule him out of joining up with the squad in Moscow.

Meanwhile Ashley Young has vowed to take a penalty should the match go to a shootout - even though he missed from 12 yards at Euro 2012.

In Pictures | England 2018 World Cup Training | 02.07.18

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England lost 4-2 on penalties to Italy in the quarter-finals, with Young and Ashley Cole failing to find the net.

But Young isn’t scarred by the experience, saying: “Yes of course I’ll put my name forward. I am confident I can step up and take one.

"I will definitely put my hand up. We have worked hard on them (in training), I am confident in my ability to score one.”

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