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Former England boss backs Southgate for Euro success

Gareth Southgate, Nations League Finals

Gareth Southgate

Former England boss Steve McClaren believes Gareth Southgate will guide the country to Euro 2020 glory ahead of their huge semi-final against Denmark.

McClaren thinks Southgate must be struggling to sleep at night given the array of options he has when trying to select a starting XI for Wednesday’s match at Wembley.

But he feels England have everything they need to get over the line at the tournament by beating Denmark and winning the final.

Italy will play either England or Denmark in Sunday’s final after beating Spain on penalties in the other semi.

McClaren has been so impressed by what he has seen from England and thinks they have a squad that can technically match any other on the continent.

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“Physically, we are so strong, powerful,” McClaren said to Stats Perform.

“And speed, we’ve got speed in the team, we didn’t really have speed before, but now we can explode. You see the power and the intensity that we play with.

“What we’ve got over these last 10 years – we have produced players through the FA, through the Premier League, through the [Elite Performance Plan].

“We have created players who now technically can live with the best in Europe and the world and tactically they can now adapt to different situations.

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“The key thing now is mentality because I think once we win a trophy, and we will, and I think it will be this year, then we will continue to dominate. 

“And that mentality will be so strong once you win, get over that hurdle, getting past the semi-final, getting into our final and winning – that belief that it gives you, that’s the mentality part. 

“That’s the bit that’s missing. But this squad can deliver that.”

McClaren has been impressed by the spirit Southgate has maintained in the England squad amid a huge public debate over who should be playing.

The lack of game time for the likes of Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho was a major talking point earlier in the competition but Southgate appears to have kept the whole camp on the side.

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