Southgate and Harry Kane preview England's Euro 24 opener against Serbia
15/06/2024
Arena AufSchalke, Germany
15/06/2024
Arena AufSchalke, Germany
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good evening everyone, welcome to Arena Uxalque and the Matchday-1 press conference with
00:29England coach Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane.
00:34Can I please remind you to keep your phones silent, raise your hand before asking a question
00:39and wait for the microphone and questions to be asked in one of the interpreted languages,
00:44so today Serbian, German or English.
00:47Introduce yourselves please and your media outlet and I think we can now begin with Sky.
00:53Yes.
00:54Just a question for Gareth, Gareth, Serbia are a very talented but unpredictable side,
01:06what kind of challenge are you expecting from them tomorrow night?
01:11Very tough, they have good individual players, fantastic collective spirit, dangerous forwards,
01:19so we know that this is a really difficult opening game for us and we've got to play
01:26at our very best to win the game.
01:30Harry, in Russia ahead of the World Cup you announced that you were going for the golden
01:41boot, you have the golden boot, does it mean as much this year when there's so much goal
01:46scoring talent in your team, does it fade into the shadows of actually winning this
01:51competition and how hard was it to sit on the bench at Bayern Munich at the end of the
01:55season and how much are you raring to go?
01:57In German please, Jürgen.
02:00No of course, I'm really looking forward to this tournament, I think back in 2018 the
02:07golden boot was an amazing achievement but as always that's a consequence of hopefully
02:14winning games and trying to win the European Championship is what we're trying to do,
02:19if I win the golden boot along the way then fantastic and it means I'm obviously helping
02:23my team.
02:25We have some great goal scorers in the team, players who are definitely on form, who've
02:29had fantastic seasons, so now it's about taking that into this major tournament, so we're
02:35just excited to get going tomorrow.
02:44Greetings, Vladimir Tomković, Dnevna Novina and Portal Informer from Belgrade.
02:48If I may, I have a short question for both of you, for Mr Southgate, you and I had a
02:53short conversation six months ago after the draw in Hamburg and you told me that you
02:58might invite your former teammate Savo Milošević to tell you a little bit about the relationship with...
03:06We've lost the interpretation.
03:08I had no translation there, apologies.
03:11So can you please repeat the question?
03:14Is it possible?
03:20Is it possible?
03:24Do you have the translation?
03:26No, it's not translating.
03:30Maybe...
03:32Can we move to an English question and then we'll try and fix it.
03:39Yeah?
03:42Aralas from TV2 Norway, question for Gareth Southgate.
03:46I read in the Guardian that they said you're entering the age of unreason where you can't
03:51win even if you win, they called it the Gareth conundrum, fail to win the Euros and you'll
03:57be cast as a fraud, win and you'll be jeered for not winning more.
04:01How do you reflect on that and how you perceive yourself in England?
04:06Well I'd rather win and give that bit a go.
04:11Yeah, I've been in the job for eight years so I understand the landscape.
04:17Everybody that's been in the job has experienced the same thing and I just try now to prepare
04:24the team in the best possible way and we're really looking forward to the beginning of
04:29the tournament.
04:31So, they're fixing the interpretation system so for the moment we'll just keep the questions
04:41in English.
04:42Yeah?
04:43Olof Lund, TV4 Sweden, question for Harry, about winning, there's been a lot of talk
04:49about winning titles, not in Bayern Munich, now with England.
04:54What would it mean for you to win something finally and hopefully with England?
04:59Yeah, it would mean a lot.
05:01I love playing for my country, I love playing for England.
05:05It means the world to me every time I step out onto the pitch wearing the shirt.
05:09So I think to win a major tournament with England would be one of the pinnacles of anyone's
05:15career.
05:16So, yeah, that's the aim.
05:19For me personally, obviously the trophies haven't quite happened yet but it just makes
05:23me more determined and more hungry to go out there and do that.
05:26That starts with this summer, we have a good opportunity, we have a lot of hard work in
05:31front of us.
05:32But, yeah, that opportunity is there and I'm looking forward to trying to make it happen.
05:38Yeah, BBC Sport.
05:42Andy Swiss, BBC News, Gareth, you'll be aware that England are among the favourites for
05:50the Euros, a lot of people are tipping them.
05:52How confident are you that your players can deal with that expectation and how excited
05:57are you to be leading them into this competition?
06:00Well, hugely excited.
06:02To lead your country into a major tournament is an amazing honour, great privilege.
06:07So for me that's just as exciting as it was ahead of Russia, if not more so.
06:16In terms of our standing, I think you've already seen Germany play the way they did last night,
06:21Spain in the first half today.
06:24There are a lot of good teams in this tournament and we have to be exceptional to progress
06:30firstly through the group and then the opportunity to go further.
06:34So our focus is on qualifying from the group, when you're trying to achieve exceptional
06:42things you have to break it down into manageable chunks and the first priority is get out of
06:47the group and then work from there.
06:49Hi, Henry Winter, World Soccer.
06:54Harry, we're always asked this going into a tournament, what's the ball like?
06:59Is it flighty?
07:00Have you had a chance to work with it at length?
07:03Yeah, I like the ball.
07:05I think it's a good ball for strikers, it's quick, when you strike it, it stays hit.
07:11So obviously I've had a bit of a different experience with a different ball in the Bundesliga
07:17the Adidas ball we're used to in Europe and obviously I played with the Nike ball in the
07:23Premier League.
07:24But for me personally I think it's better for the strikers or the goal scorers than
07:30it is for the goalkeepers so I'm not going to complain about that.
07:36So Serbian is now working so we can go back, yeah, the back row.
08:06I'm going to ask you a few questions and then I'm going to ask your ex-teammate Savo
08:13Milošević to tell you a few things about the Serbian team.
08:18I'm interested in what you did and what he told you.
08:22For Mr. Kane, players often say in front of important matches and big tournaments
08:27that they develop different movies and different scenarios.
08:31Is the Serbian team forbidden to speak to you?
08:41No, I don't think you look that far ahead.
08:45Of course we want to win the game tomorrow evening but in a game of football anything
08:50can happen.
08:51There can be highs, there can be lows throughout the 90 minutes and that's what you have to
08:54prepare for.
08:55Of course we want to have a fantastic game and play in the style that we want to play
09:02and without the ball be aggressive and how we've been over the years.
09:08But as we've all seen in football anything can happen so we just have to prepare for
09:13everything and hopefully we can go out there tomorrow night and show a good side to ourselves.
09:18Yes, I haven't spoken with Savo, we're very good friends but I wouldn't put him
09:28in a position where he had to betray his country.
09:32I'm sure he wouldn't be giving me any inside information about the team.
09:39Harry, England is seen as the favourite to win it all.
09:53Do you feel the pressure to win?
09:55Do you feel your fans at home saying it's coming home and all the expectations you have?
10:00No, I think every tournament poses different expectations.
10:05I think we've earned the right to be classed as one of the favourites but we look at ourselves
10:11individually and as a team.
10:14Going into this tournament we know in past tournaments we've done a lot of things well
10:19and we've made the country proud and we've had good tournaments but ultimately we're
10:24here to win it and there will be nothing better for us and the nation itself if we do that.
10:30Like the boss said earlier, there's a lot of top teams.
10:33First and foremost is our focus tomorrow night and obviously the group stage.
10:38From there we know how tough it was to get to the final a few years ago and we're going
10:44to have to do that and even more if we want to achieve that and hopefully one step further this year.
10:50James Robson, Associated Press.
10:53Hi Gareth, you've seen a lot of England players over the years who have been built up.
10:58I wonder what you think about the expectations that are being placed on Jude Bellingham.
11:03He's just done an advert that adds to the hype.
11:07Dragan Stojkovic just said he thinks he'll be a golden ball winner in the future as well.
11:13Are you concerned about that or given how he behaves, how he's acted with Real Madrid,
11:18is he just on a bit of a different level where it just won't get to him?
11:25From my perspective he's a young player and one of a number of very important players in the team.
11:33We shouldn't be expecting him to carry the load for the rest of the team.
11:39I think in this team that load is spread.
11:42He has a fantastic mindset, he has a tremendous drive and ability to affect big games.
11:50He has coped with everything incredibly well at such a young age.
11:57Coming into our squad, playing in a World Cup, moving to the biggest club in the world,
12:04he's adapted to all of those things.
12:06I'm sure not all of that has been straightforward, but outwardly he copes with that brilliantly.
12:14All I would say is that we have a responsibility as a team for all of our players.
12:19We're a collective.
12:20We'll succeed if everybody plays their part, the whole squad.
12:24It's great to have some talented players that we can look up to.
12:29But the onus is on everybody to do their part.
12:38I will speak in Serbian.
12:44Dusan Uštević, Portal Telegraph.
12:48I'm interested in whether you think that Serbia will be able to play in the World Cup.
12:56I'm interested in whether you think that Serbia will start with two strikers,
13:01as they usually do, with Vlahović and Mitrović.
13:04Or do you think that the Serbian national team will switch to a more defensive tactic
13:09and choose one of the two best strikers, and strengthen the defense and the line-up?
13:25It's difficult to be 100% certain.
13:32Dragan has different options.
13:34We're aware they can play in different systems.
13:38We know that the strikers they have can cause problems to any team.
13:44They clearly have a settled way of playing.
13:48There are clear strengths to the team.
13:51We have to be able to deal with all of those strengths
13:53and also try to exploit the weaknesses,
13:56which, of course, every team in the tournament has some weaknesses.
13:59That's the role of our work during the week, really.
14:13Hi, Harry Peters from Germany.
14:15A question for Harry.
14:17Gareth revealed that he's learning German.
14:20Can you teach him anything?
14:23I don't think I can teach him anything.
14:26I can tell him it's going to be difficult to learn, for sure.
14:31I wish him all the best, because it's not easy.
14:34Obviously, I've been doing it for a little while now.
14:38Of course, I'm still finding it tough.
14:41Hopefully, maybe next season we can exchange a few words to each other in German.
14:46Maybe another one.
14:47How impressed were you with the German team yesterday?
14:51Both strikers scored.
14:53Would you prefer to watch Harvards or VfL Krug?
14:57That's not my decision, thankfully.
15:00No, obviously, they had a fantastic game.
15:03I've got a lot of teammates playing in that team.
15:07I'm sure they're obviously delighted with their start to the tournament.
15:12They've got some fantastic players.
15:15I wish them all the best, but of course my focus is on England
15:18and our game tomorrow night against Serbia.
15:48What does Mr. Kane see as the biggest quality of this team?
16:19We're expecting a really tough game tomorrow night.
16:23Like the boss said, if we don't quite get it right, we can be in for a really tough game.
16:30We'll focus on ourselves, as we always do,
16:32but of course we know that Serbia pose a lot of good threats as well.
16:39It wouldn't surprise me for Serbia to attack.
16:42They get numbers up the pitch quickly and they can break quickly.
16:49They get the ball forward quickly at times.
16:51They, of course, can build up in a more patient way as well,
16:54so they have a nice mix to their game.
16:58But no, I don't expect them to sit and defend all night.
17:01I don't think that would be the way the coach...
17:05It wasn't the way he played,
17:06and I wouldn't expect it to be the way he is as a coach.
17:13Pass it around here, yeah.
17:15Hi, both. James Oli from ESPN.
17:18Just two, if I can.
17:19Quickly, Gareth, is everyone available tomorrow, team-wise?
17:23Everyone's available.
17:25We have a decision whether Luke is possible to use from the bench or not.
17:34But everybody is trained today and is available.
17:38Thank you.
17:39Thank you.
17:40There's been a lot of talk about potential security issues around this game.
17:43It's been deemed a high-risk fixture.
17:46What's your message to supporters coming here tomorrow?
17:50I expect everybody to enjoy the football.
17:54I've been fortunate to be involved in a lot of tournaments
17:59and travelled to other tournaments that I wasn't directly involved in.
18:03They're great carnivals of football,
18:05an opportunity to see another part of the world,
18:08meet people from other parts of the world,
18:12have a brilliant time.
18:14Everybody, I'm sure, is coming to do exactly that.
18:19The whole of Europe can come together and celebrate together
18:23the brilliant game that we're involved in
18:27and support their team and get behind their team,
18:30but of course meet other people and have a fantastic month together.
18:35Thank you.
18:45It's fine, yeah.
18:46If the mic is here, it's easier.
18:49Simon Peach from PA.
18:50Just a question, Gareth.
18:51Obviously, there's a very exciting time at the moment,
18:53but there's been some tragic news today
18:55that Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sakic has died
18:57and Kevin Campbell's passed away.
19:00With Kevin, just your reflections and memories of
19:02coming up against him quite a lot and things like that,
19:05and just overall your take?
19:08I know that some of our players and staff
19:12actually played and worked with Matija as well.
19:17Both pieces of news were received with shock and great sadness.
19:25Clearly, those boys that played with him are feeling that even more.
19:33Kevin is the same age as me.
19:34I remember him being in Arsenal's youth team at a similar time
19:39and playing against him in reserve team football.
19:43Of course, you play against each other so often over the years.
19:45He's a hugely popular man.
19:48His son's also been in our junior pathway as well.
19:51Our thoughts are very much with his family at this time.
19:55I think some of the tributes have been fabulous.
20:00Clearly, people who knew him better than I did
20:02talking about what an amazing character.
20:06It's a very, very sad day.
20:22Vegard Hallstad, VG Norway.
20:24Question for Harry.
20:26Jude Bellingham mentioned earlier here,
20:28great season in terms of goal scoring as yourself.
20:31How do you work with him?
20:32Can you give us a little bit of insight
20:34in what's happening in the opponent's box and around?
20:38Are you bossing him around, telling him where to go?
20:40Or how do you work together to make yourselves
20:42even more dangerous together?
20:44I think we do that on the training pitch.
20:47We try and be in scenarios that we'll be in the game.
20:52Whether that's on the halfway line
20:54with the movements that we make
20:56or in the opposition box, all over the pitch.
21:00Of course, Jude's a fantastic player.
21:02He has a really good brain in terms of his movement
21:05and the spaces that he sees.
21:09I think we complement each other really well.
21:11Whether one of us is dropping deep,
21:13you have one running in behind and vice versa.
21:16He's an amazing player to play with.
21:18He likes to get in the box.
21:20He likes to affect games and score goals,
21:22which is always important for an attacking midfielder.
21:26I think the more we train with each other,
21:28the more we play with each other,
21:30hopefully that relationship can get even stronger.
21:32But it feels strong already.
21:43Question for Gareth.
21:45You obviously have a lot of difficult decisions
21:48to make ahead of a game like this.
21:50How much do you listen to your players?
21:52How involved are they in the decision-making?
21:58I think we have a very open relationship
22:01with all of the players.
22:04We've actually put a small leadership group together
22:07for this tournament now with Harry, Kyle Walker,
22:10Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham.
22:13There's a different dynamic to this group.
22:15There's a lot of younger players.
22:17I want to make sure that the voices of the younger players
22:20are really in touch with that as well.
22:25I don't want to leave here with any stone unturned.
22:28I don't want to have missed anything.
22:31It's always important to know what the players are thinking.
22:34They have good views, they have good experiences.
22:39Also, there will be some decisions that I will take
22:41without talking to any of them.
22:50Hello, I'm Pierre from L'Equipe.
22:52Just a question for Gareth.
22:54It could be potentially your last tournament
22:57as England manager.
22:59Does it change anything on the way you prepare
23:01this competition and does it add more pressure
23:04on your shoulders or not?
23:06Thank you.
23:07I hate to put pressure on all the coaches,
23:09but it could be the last tournament for all of them.
23:12This is the world we're in.
23:16I'm probably more relaxed about it because I've been to three.
23:19I know exactly what it involves.
23:21I know the events you have to deal with,
23:24the path you have to navigate.
23:28I'm very fortunate to have very good players
23:31with a great spirit,
23:34great staff that work with me throughout.
23:37We're really looking forward to that challenge.
23:42I guess you're even more determined to make sure
23:46that we don't miss anything, as I said earlier,
23:49and that we're giving ourselves the very best chance of winning.
23:58Hi, Stjepan Maricic, BBC Serbia.
24:02A question for both of you.
24:06Could we get a couple of sentences
24:08about Tadic and Mitrovic?
24:10They've played for years in the Premier League.
24:14They've left somewhat of a legacy there.
24:17What do you see?
24:19Are there strong signs?
24:22How do you plan to stop them?
24:26Thank you.
24:27I think they're really good players.
24:31Mitrovic is obviously a goalscorer.
24:34He's proven that throughout his whole career
24:36for both club and for country.
24:41As a striker myself,
24:43you appreciate other strikers who score a lot of goals.
24:47With Tadic, he's a fantastic player,
24:49technically really gifted.
24:51He can hurt you with the final pass,
24:54the final cross and the finish as well.
24:56Two players that we're obviously aware of
24:59and we know could pose big threats tomorrow night.
25:05Not much more I can add really.
25:08Tadic, we've followed him in England
25:11but also at Ajax.
25:13He was in the team that Spurs played
25:16in that famous game.
25:19He's a very good technical player.
25:23With Mitrovic, I think he really knows his craft.
25:28He knows the areas of the pitch
25:30that he's particularly dangerous.
25:34He's exceptional at pulling off defenders,
25:40taking chances in the air,
25:42holds the play up well.
25:45He's an outstanding goalscorer
25:49but they're not the only two players in the Serbian team
25:52that we have to make sure that we're ready to deal with.
25:54They have some excellent players right across the pitch.
25:58And the last question, I think.
26:02Paul Joyce, please.
26:06Paul Joyce, The Times.
26:08Gareth, Jude's elevation into that leadership group
26:11feels a very natural step.
26:13What do you expect from him
26:15when you're speaking to him about that?
26:17What does the role entail?
26:21Well, I want the opinions of the four boys
26:24but also they're involved with different age groups in the squad
26:33so they'll be able to pick up what's going on
26:35with the different areas of the squad.
26:37We've got 26.
26:38It's not easy to keep track of how everybody is every day.
26:44I think you want to open up that dialogue.
26:46Sometimes with younger players
26:48they're normally going to be a little bit more reluctant
26:51perhaps to approach the head coach or manager
26:54and talk about what they're thinking.
26:58So you want a sense check of what's going on on the ground.
27:01I think for those two boys, they're leaders.
27:05The squad has taken on a younger dynamic
27:10and it's so important that they start to embrace
27:13more responsibility in those areas.
27:16It shouldn't just be for the older players to lead.
27:20A lot of our younger players have a lot of caps
27:23and a lot of big match experience.
27:26So I could have put more into the group
27:29but I think four is enough.
27:34We'll meet regularly and feedback on everything, basically.
27:42OK, thank you very much.
27:44You are old.
27:47Can I just let you know...
27:49He's about as old as me, obviously.
27:51The Media Hub will be open today until 10.30
27:54and then we'll open again tomorrow at 4 o'clock.
27:57Thank you.
27:58Thank you.
28:16Thank you.