Euro 2024 Diary: Frustration in Mongersdorf
An increasingly beleaguered Gareth Southgate sees his side falter again, as do frustrated England fans here in sweltering Cologne
Well, that was frustrating, underwhelming, disappointing - delete as applicable.
Happy Wednesday, even if, after England’s insipid goalless draw, many of us feel more than a little downbeat.
I started the day as a fan in the Aldstadt, reported on the game as a journalist and had a ringside seat at the increasingly beleagured, under-fire Gareth Southgate’s post-match press conference, where I couldn’t work out if he looked shellshocked or simply knackered and simply tired of it all.
An Arsenal flag in Cologne from Arsenal fans in Cologne. CREDIT:
England flags inside Cologne Stadium during the 0-0 draw with Slovenia. CREDIT:
On Tuesday, in sweltering Cologne the day had started so well.
A couple of cheeky liveners in the Aldstad, soaking in the atmosphere that only England away can bring.
Wall to wall flags, detailing most cities, towns and clubs across the country, from the north east to the south west, non-league to Champions League; the songs - including the catchy Bruce Springsteen inspired Dancing in the Dark homage to Phil Foden; the bare chests (including myself for a short while as my Arsenal tattoo on my left shoulder got a rare airing); and the socialising.
England flags in Cologne’s Aldstadt hours before England played out a disappointing goalless draw with Slovenia. CREDIT:
After two less than stellar performances, there was an atmosphere of subdued expectation - more in hope than self-entitlement - that our star-studded side would produce a performance that would lay a marker to the rest of the tournament. Sadly, we were to be proved wrong about that.
After a quick walk to the nearest tram stop, Heumarkt (Haymarket), and a dawning realisation that we were literally the wrong side of the tracks to grab a quick Lucas Podolski kebab from the Lucas Podolski kebab emporium, the red No1 tram came trundling along.
Caption: The editor of the Gooner Fanzine stares longingly at Lucas Podolski’s kebab shop which was unfortunately situated on the wrong side of the tracks. CREDIT: Paul Kelleher
Large queues of well-behaved England fans build at the Heumarkt tram stop in heatwave temperatures in Cologne. CREDIT:
Packed with England fans heading to the ground. And the next one. And the next one.
Finally, the powers-that-be decided to lay on an empty tram to ease the (good-natured) crowding at the stop and we all surged onto it, laying claim to the empty seats, before our S-Bahn No1 tram also became full of England fans in high spirits.
Alighting at Mungersdorf, I headed to the media entrance to cover the game.
The tremendous England support at Cologne. CREDIT:
I won’t discuss the match here, as you can read my official match report for the Morning Star newspaper from the Cologne press box below in today’s diary.
Suffice to say, bar a few idiots throwing empty plastic cups at Southgate after the match, from my vantage point the England support was absolutely magnificent.
Given the number of Euro 2024 games around Germany that I’ve seen over the last ten days, the noise coming from the massed ranks of the Three Lions - especially in the second half - was as loud any anything I’ve heard and experienced so far.
The near 20 minute rendition of ‘The Great Escape’ was the longest and loudest I’ve ever heard it - and completely drowned out any noise coming from the Slovenians at the other end.
This tournament is as much about the noise and colour differing countries’ fans bring to the competition - almost as much as the football - so we shouldn’t be afraid to praise England fans when it’s deserved.
And our support in Cologne was absolutely outstanding.
………….
My official Morning Star newspaper match report
England 0-0 Slovenia: Report Layth Yousif at Cologne Stadium
The increasingly beleaguered Gareth Southgate is fearful the atmosphere around England is souring after empty plastic pint cups were thrown at him after the disappointing goalless draw against Slovenia.
Another underwhelming performance from Southgate’s Three Lions led to a number of travelling supporters booing the side at the final whistle, with at least three cups hurled at the under-fire boss in a dose of spite from a section of travelling support.
After a sweltering, sweaty evening in heatwave Cologne, the only cheers you could hear at the end of 90 minutes was the Slovenia fans celebrating also qualifying – in third, behind Denmark, after Serbia failed to beat the Scandinavians in the other match in Group C.
At the other end of the ground from the delighted Slovenians, where the main contingent of England fans were massed, Southgate and his side went to acknowledge their support, but were met with a mixed reaction, including boos and objects thrown.
Speaking after the match, a drained looking Southgate admitted: “I understand it but I’m not going to back away from it. The most important thing is that we stay with the team.
“I understand the narrative towards me. That’s better for the team than it being towards them, but it is creating an unusual environment to operate in.
“I’ve not seen any other team qualify and receive similar [treatment]. I’m not going to back away from it.”
Despite England already qualifying for the knock-out round thanks to Spain’s second string easing past Albania in Dusseldorf on Friday evening, more was expected than a frustrating goalless draw against their opponents ranked a lowly 57th in the world – even if a fine Slovenia kicked-off unbeaten in their last eight matches, including creditable draws against Denmark and Serbia in this tournament.
Prior to the start coach Matjaž Kek’s side had only failed to score in one of their last 22 international matches, with his team losing only two of their last 16 competitive matches - but started the clash without a win in their five games in the European Championships.
On a sweltering evening in Cologne it was all to play for – especially with Austria topping their group after beating Netherlands 3-2 earlier in the afternoon, leaving France to finish second after their 1-1 draw vs Poland. You couldn’t help pondering on the dawning realisation that one half of the Euro 2024 draw featured the heavyweights of France, Spain, Portugal and Germany. With England in the other half of the draw.
However, as long-suffering England fans know, games aren’t won on paper.
Not least when early Slovenia’s summer target for top Premier League clubs, Benjamin Sesko, should have done better with a headed chance, moments after a booming rendition of God Save the King from three quarters of the stadium.
Southgate made one change from the insipid draw against the Danes in Frankfurt, Conor Gallagher replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Chelsea midfielder becoming Declan Rice’s third defensive partner in the last four matches.
Gallahger’s energy was apparent, attempting to influence early proceedings with the most impressive scurrying.
Albeit to scant discernible effect as Kek’s side dominated the opening stages, bar VAR correctly disallowing Bukayo Saka’s tap-in for offside earlier in the move.
As the sun dropped and the intense temperatures of the day cooled somewhat, a laboured England ponderously probed forward, prompted by the increasingly redoubtable centre-back pairing of John Stones and Marc Guehi – who for this correspondent had been the side’s most impressive performer so far in Germany.
On the half hour mark, the hitherto anonymous Harry Kane fired off a low shot that Slovenia’s keeper Jan Oblak gathered. Moments later the Atletico Madrid shotstopper kept out Phil Foden’s flighted free-kick, as Southgate’s side searched for an opener.
Along a crowded left flank, the right-footed Kieran Trippier cut inside to unleash a low, curling shot six minutes before the interval, but the team couldn’t find a breakthrough.
With England’s nearly-fit left-back Luke Shaw on the bench, the thought occurred that Southgate’s mix and match along the left channel might be, mercifully, nearing an end.
Another uninspiring experiment that ended was Gallagher next to Rice, which was called to an abrupt halt after only 45 minutes – with Southgate swapping Gallagher for Manchester United teenage starlet Kobbie Mainoo at half time.
Despite their underwhelming appearance as a defensive pair during England’s’ 1-0 loss to Iceland at Wembley at the end of May, Southgate’s intention for Mainoo to dovetail with Rice - in a bid to play between the lines with the Arsenal man in a slightly more advanced role – was full of positive intentions.
Even if it was rather perplexing that Southgate should still be tinkering with such a vital position three matches into this tournament.
As the England fans massed behind the goal boomed out ‘The Great Escape’ it was Crystal Palace defender Guehi who had an escape of his own, when he grabbed Slovenia forward Andraz Sporar, deservedly earning a yellow card from French referee Clement Turpin, who it had to be said had an excellent game as the man in black, or luminous yellow.
The fans cheered still further when the sharp Cole Palmer came on for a tiring Saka.
The roof would have come off this atmospheric stadium if Rice’s shot had flown into the net with 15 minutes remaining. As it would have done had the lively Cole’s late effort not been gathered by Oblak after a sweeping move.
As the clock ticked down, England sealed top spot with five points, a place ahead of Denmark in second, and creditable Slovenia a spot behind, who also qualify as one of the best third place sides.
England will now play their round of 16 tie in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, potentially against the Netherlands.
As ever, England’s magnificent fans have been left frustrated at their team’s efforts on the pitch.
A tired looking Southgate added at the end of the match: “I’m not going to back down from going over and thanking the fans who were brilliant during the game.
“They might feel differently towards me, but for me we will only succeed if we’re together.”
……….
DAILY LIST
I - Pack up our increasingly not fragrant hotel room in Cologne, which has valiantly hosted two sweaty, sweary blokes for four nights, and shake off the vague feeling of self-loathing you get after eleven days on the beer on the road at a major sporting tournament away from home.
II - Find something to eat while attempting to locate a soothsayer and an abacus in a vague bid to work out just who England will play in Gelsenkirchen in five days time. And what I’m going to do about it.
……..
PS
I did have someone tweet me to say it was a shame England fans booed the Slovenian national anthem, and normally, I would agree.
But having heard the absolutely ear-splitting, near defeating whistles emanating from all manner of different countries’ supporters during the signing of the national anthems during this tournament, maybe it’s more of a pantomime that is part of the occasion than anything else.
Certainly, if you’d have heard Turkey fans’ boomingly booing Georgia’s national anthem at decibel levels the equivalent to an airplane taking off, you wouldn’t be complaining about England fans.
Anyway, for me at least, the European Championships certainly aren’t about nationalism or patriotism, they’re simply about cheering your team on and having a good time. It’s not that deep.
Although of course, there are discussions to be had - there always are - on sporting jingoism and how that ties in with nationalism and patriotism. Just not today.
Because with an election coming up, there’s far worse things happening than the booing of national anthems.
Typing this with a hangover after a 4am finish, I’m simply not in the mood for politics.
Not with the UK General Election coming up and everywhere you look there are liars, grifters, scaremongerers, chancers and charlatans, not to mention bland corporate speak from those too scared to have an opinion, while many have opinions far too unpalatable and divisive to be given credence.
So, I’d rather not be lectured on England fans booing the Slovenia national anthem. Not today anyway.
Today is more about reflecting on just how bang average the England football team have looked during this tournament so far - given their galaxy of talented footballers.
Which is pretty much what we discussed when I caught up with old pals in the Aldstadt in the early hours, after getting back to the centre of Cologne from the disappointment in Mungersdorf.
Good times - off the pitch, at any rate - here in Germany.
