Spain, Germany... England? Behind Pep Guardiola's role as World Cup kingmaker

 

 

 

The Manchester City boss has the unique distinction of coaching the league champions in the countries which won the last two World Cups

Nobody is saying England are about to win the World Cup after beating The Netherlands 1-0 in Amsterdam on Friday night. Far from it. This might well be the worst Dutch side in the last two decades at least given they have failed to qualify for two tournaments in succession. But still they provided useful opposition for Gareth Southgate as he plots a course to take care of Tunisia, Panama and Belgium in two months at World Cup 2018.
It might be worth playing down the result but it’s not worth playing down the performance or even the game plan. This is a new England, a different England and one which should give plenty of encouragement to those who want their national team to play attractive football with a maximum chance of success.
Expectations have been diminished and the nation is perhaps as out of love with the national team as it’s ever been but Southgate has painstakingly restored confidence in the squad following the Euro 2016 blowout against Iceland.