England national team manager Gareth Southgate has reacted to boos by fans after England suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Iceland in their 2024 Euros send-forth match.
It was the last friendly before the Three Lions will kick off their 2024 Euros campaign on Friday, June 16, 2024, against Serbia in Group C.
Iceland star Thorstensson’s first-half goal made the difference as the away side ran out with an unlikely 1-0 win at Wembley.
The result was disappointing for Southgate, the team, and the fans. And moreso, it was a reality check on the prospects of the team as they head to Germany for the continental football showpiece.
England fans left no stone unturned in expressing their disapproval of the poor showing during the game. They booed the players off the field after the final whistle.
Reacting to the boos and jeers during his post-match press conference, Southgate said he understood the feelings of the fans after being let down but added the game is a learning curve that will inform his further strategies.
‘‘I completely understand (the boos). We didn’t play well enough to keep them excited within the game.
‘‘We had some very, very good chances which normally would be finished which could have given a different complexion to the game and of course, would have affected the confidence of the opponent.
‘’But that would have masked some flaws that were apparent tonight. From my perspective, I’ve learned a lot from the game.
The loss to Iceland means England have now failed to win four of their past five games in the build-up to the 2024 Euros. After finishing as runners-up in the last edition of the competition in 2020, Southgate has been tasked to come out with nothing less than a triumph this time.
The Three Lions are in Group C alongside Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia and will kick off their campaign against Serbia before taking on Denmark and Slovenia.
More worrying for Southgate will be the fitness of Manchester City defender John Stones who had to be sub off in the second half during the Iceland match with an injury scare. The 53-year-old will hope to have the Manchester City star return to full fitness as the team prepare to end their wait for the European crown in Germany.
