12 Jun 2019
The hurt has lingered. It has been 52 years since England lifted the World Cup, and they are one of only eight countries to do so.
The expectations are not high, since the Three Lions have failed time and again to deliver on the big stage. Many have lost faith and that is understandable.
They have slipped to 13th in the FIFA World rankings, yet there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading to Russia.
A lack of media pressure, some fair results against top sides and a young side with competition at almost every position means England fans can be cautiously optimistic.
Here are five reasons why Harry Kane and company may lift the trophy on July 15.
Soft Group
In 2014, England were drawn against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica. That was almost borderline ‘group of death’. This time, Belgium, Tunisia and Panama are the opponents. Tunisia have not featured at a World Cup since 2006, Panama are playing at their first World Cup and are ranked 55th. Belgium are loaded with talent, but flattered to deceive at the European Championships.
The World Cup outright odds have Belgium at 11/1 and England as seventh-favourites at 16/1.
It won’t matter if England finish first or second in Group G as the winner will face the runner-up from Group H (Poland, Senegal, Colombia or Japan), while the runner-up will play the winner of Group H.
It is possible that Germany or Brazil will be the opponents in the quarter-final and England are 11/5 to exit at that stage
Decent form
England have put behind the disappointment of being dumped out of the Euro 2016 by Iceland and have fair recent form against some of the best in the world, drawing with Germany, Brazil and Italy and beating the Netherlands. While the last two did not make the finals, England kept clean sheets with favourites Brazil and reigning champions Germany. They sailed through qualifying and Gareth Southgate has grown more comfortable and confident in the role as manager with every game.
Gareth Southgate – a true leader
Southgate is everything England should want in a manager. He’s affable, has played at the highest level, his players relate to him and has a system of play that suits his personnel. One of the most important attributes that often gets overlooked is Southgate’s steel. He is not afraid to make tough decisions but he does so in an understated way.
This harbours back to his school days at Hazelwick Comprehensive in Crawley. Brought up in a middle-class estate in Pound Hill, Southgate was a quiet lad, yet his PE teacher Dave Palmer – no mean footballer himself, who played at County level – saw his leadership qualities and challenged him regularly.
Southgate took his lumps along the way - he was let go by Southampton youth and was almost shown the door at Crystal Palace - but he had people around him, like Palmer, who believed in him. Southgate was single-minded enough to achieve his goal and set about forging a highly successful career through hard work and leading by example. He always had an ability to raise the level of those around him, and that was very evident early on. Southgate has captained every team he played in at every level. Is it any surprise he is now leading England?
He communicates well and that is vital when dealing with young, inexperienced players. It cannot be understated how important his influence will be on this squad and it must not be forgotten that his England U21side lost just three of 33 games, and many of those players, now in the senior squad, are used to his methodology.
Proven strikers
Harry Kane is 14/1 to be World Cup Top Goalscorer and he has been instrumental in England’s unbeaten World Cup qualifying run. Having had the experience of one major tournament – where bizarrely he took England’s corners at Euro 2016 – Kane has developed into one of the best strikers in the world.
Only Mo Salah scored more than Kane in the Premier League this year and Kane has been consistent at the top level for a few years now.
There is no uncertainty over his future, having committed to Tottenham, and he is at the top of his game heading to Russia.
He is a shade of odds-on to be England’s Top Scorer at the World Cup. It will be hard to bet against him, but Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard and Danny Welbeck are all capable of contributing. England also have big units to aim at from set-pieces.
A striker’s confidence is everything and with minnows Tunisia and Panama up first, England’s marksmen should be full of themselves entering their final Group game with Belgium.
Young and hungry Lions
There are few expectations, the climate in Russia is ideal, they are led by an excellent manager and are in a soft group, but the key to this campaign is the youth movement. In recent times, England youth squads have won the U20 World Cup and the U19 European Championships. The talent is definitely there. Southgate has given many youngsters their chance and the future looks bright.
Jordan Pickford, Eric Dier, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Lingard, Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Dele Alli, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all 25 or younger, and while many will cite inexperience could cost them, it must be remembered that the average age of Germany’s World Cup-winning squad was just over 26.
These players have Premier League experience, are used to playing in high-pressure games at the top level and are not jaded by repeated failures. This is a young, hungry group, and while the attacking options are bountiful, the Three Lions have not looked like conceding too many goals.
It is 10/11 that England concede under 2.5 goals in the group and that may be value.
There is every reason to think that Southgate’s squad could go a very long way in this tournament and make the country rightly proud.
