'It's time for Southgate & England to deliver'

England's Euro 2024 run starts successful what was erstwhile known arsenic nan "City of Thousand Fires”, pinch head Gareth Southgate knowing his 4th awesome tourney successful complaint cannot beryllium a slow burner.

Gelsenkirchen earned its explanation successful nan era erstwhile it was built connected ember mining, and it is present successful Germany's business heartland that some England and Southgate get to activity connected their latest quest to banish nan accusations that they autumn short erstwhile it matters.

And arsenic England statesman nan quest to warrant their tag arsenic pre-tournament favourites against Serbia astatine nan Arena AufSchalke (20:00 BST kick-off), nan temper astir nan campy is 1 of composure and cautious optimism, arsenic reflected successful nan words and demeanour of Southgate and skipper Harry Kane astatine their pre-match news conference.

Southgate is good alert of nan value of a accelerated start, particularly arsenic Germany and Spain person made important early ngo statements pinch outstanding performances successful victories against Scotland and Croatia.

He said: "In position of our standing, we person already seen really Germany and Spain person played. There are immoderate exceptional teams here. We person to beryllium exceptional to advancement done nan group and our main attraction is our first game. It is evident really important that is."

The England fans making their measurement to Gelsenkirchen are doing truthful pinch precocious expectations fuelled by nan world-class reliability of Kane and nan emergence of Jude Bellingham, nan caller aureate boy and a Champions League victor pinch Real Madrid.

There is besides nan brilliance and exuberance of nan younger attacking brigade specified arsenic Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, Chelsea guardant Cole Palmer, Phil Foden from Manchester City and Newcastle United wide man Anthony Gordon.

And if England were successful immoderate threat of forgetting aliases downplaying their lofty pre-tournament status, Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic was successful nan temper to punctual them - perpetually - erstwhile he faced nan media.

Stojkovic looked to beryllium playing psychological games by many times claiming England were favourites for Euro 2024, adding: "My players tin hardly hold for nan lucifer to start. We are going to beryllium fresh for nan awesome situation called England."

Kane was comfortable pinch nan weight of anticipation accompanying England retired present successful Germany, pinch thing little than triumph successful Berlin connected 14 June apt to beryllium viewed arsenic a awesome disappointment.

"I deliberation each tourney possesses different expectations," said nan Bayern Munich striker. "We person earned nan correct to beryllium classed among nan favourites. Looking astatine ourselves some individually and arsenic a team, we person done tons of things good astatine erstwhile tournaments but yet we are present to win."

England's caller performances person been mixed - including a desperately mediocre nonaccomplishment to Iceland astatine Wembley successful their last friends earlier travelling to Germany - but nan excitement surrounding nan attacking talent successful this squad is arguably greater than astatine immoderate clip nether Southgate.

He enters his 4th and perchance last awesome tourney arsenic England head pinch varying schools of thought still providing nan communicative to his clip successful charge.

One statement is that Southgate deserves immense in installments for changing nan somesthesia astir nan England squad aft inheriting a post-Sam Allardyce shambles from nan Football Association successful November 2016, putting together nan champion managerial series since Sir Alf Ramsey. He is sometimes viewed arsenic a head who does not get nan in installments he deserves for his rehabilitation of nan nationalist squad aliases his tourney record.

The different constituent of position paints him arsenic a blimpish astir man presiding complete missed opportunities successful nan World Cup semi-final against Croatia successful Moscow six years ago, and nan Euro 2020 last against Italy astatine Wembley, games mislaid aft his broadside took an early lead earlier losing guidance and, ultimately, some matches.

Some would opportunity nan truth resides location betwixt nan two. No-one tin contradict nan advancement but nan nonaccomplishment to get complete nan statement will linger until England really transverse it.

Southgate smiled arsenic he addressed that question, saying: "I've been successful nan occupation 8 years. I understand nan landscape. Everybody who has been successful this occupation has knowledgeable nan aforesaid thing. I conscionable effort to hole nan squad successful nan champion mode possible."

In nan adjacent month, he and his players tin reply nan questions successful nan astir emphatic mode imaginable by winning nan tournament. If this does not hap past long-standing criticisms will beryllium aimed astatine them and, arsenic moreover suggested by Southgate himself, nan head whitethorn good leave.

Asked astir nan anticipation of this being his past tourney arsenic England manager, he smiled again and added: "I don't want to put unit connected nan different coaches present but it could beryllium nan past tourney for each of them arsenic well. This is nan world we unrecorded in.

"I'm astir apt much relaxed astir it because I person had erstwhile acquisition of 3 earlier this one. I cognize nan issues we person to woody pinch and nan pathway we person to navigate. I'm very fortunate to person awesome players and a awesome unit and I'm really looking guardant to nan commencement of this tournament."

The clip for talking past stopped and Southgate and Kane strode distant pinch nan benignant of intent they dream England will bring to nan Euro 2024 shape successful Gelsenkirchen connected Sunday night.