Former England boss Steve McClaren believes Gareth Southgate will lead the country to Euro 2020 glory ahead of their massive semi-final against Denmark.
McClaren thinks Southgate will have to struggle to sleep at night given the array of options he has when trying to select a starting XI for Wednesday’s game at Wembley.
But he feels that England have everything they need to cross the finish line of the tournament by beating Denmark and winning the final.
Italy will play against England or Denmark in Sunday’s final after beating Spain on penalties in the other semi-final.
McClaren was so impressed with what he saw from England and thinks he has a team that technically can match any other on the continent.
“Physically, we are so strong, powerful,” McClaren told Stats Perform.
“And the speed, we have the speed in the team, we didn’t really have the speed before, but now we can explode. See the power and intensity with which we play.
“What we have achieved in the past 10 years – we have produced players through the FA, through the Premier League, through the [Elite Performance Plan].
“We have created players who can now technically coexist with the best in Europe and the world and tactically can now adapt to different situations.
“The key thing now is the mentality because I think that once we win a trophy, and we will, and I think it will be this year, then we will continue to dominate.
“And that mentality will be so strong once you win, get over that hurdle, get through the semifinal, get to our final and win – that belief it gives you, that’s the part of the mentality.
“This is the missing piece. But this team can do it. “
McClaren was impressed with the spirit Southgate maintained on the English side amid huge public debate over who should play.
The lack of playtime for the likes of Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho was a major talking point at the start of the competition, but it appears that Southgate kept the entire court on the sidelines.
“Look, he knows, all the managers know, it’s not about the one at 11,” McClaren added.
“It’s 12-26 and Gareth knows you have to take care of those players who aren’t playing, who are sitting in the stands, who don’t have the opportunity to play.
“From one to 11, they require little maintenance or should require little maintenance. It’s 12 to 26. Those are the ones you need to focus on.
“And he knows he has to have a relationship, keep a relationship, keep them on board, because as he showed, that’s not looking for the top 11 Brits.
“Yes, in terms of the core, what is the best core, but around that core, he has players that he’s been using all the time.
He is not afraid to use them, change teams, change formation “.
Southgate will be considering whether to bring Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka back into lineup after losing a 4-0 quarter-final win over Ukraine with one shot.
McClaren added: “Saka came in and did well, Grealish came in and everyone is clamoring for him, Sancho everyone is clamoring for him, [Marcus] Rashford doesn’t even get a game.
“So who knows how he sleeps at night!
“But certainly the core of the team is there, the second four are there. The [Declan] Rice and [Kalvin] The Phillips partnership is there, [Jordan] Henderson can go in and add something.
“In front of this you have [Harry] Kane and [Raheem] Sterling that are nailed, but you have two positions where you have [Mason] Assemble, [Phil] Foden, Grealish, Rashford, Sancho, Saka – everyone can enter, so how do you choose two? “
Southgate also has to decide whether to return to a three-man defense as he did against Germany in the round of 16, but McClaren is hoping to remain aggressive with a 4-2-3-1.
“I think he started the tournament wanting to get through the group stage and he did,” McClaren said.
“Germany was a huge match. He wanted to keep him tight, be a little pragmatic, but I think he just opened up against Ukraine and I hope he continues like this.
“[Kieran] Trippier, [Luke] Shaw, [Kyle] Walker, [Ben] Chilwell, they are basically full backs and therefore therefore [playing in a] 3-4-3, especially with two controllers, Rice and Phillips, is difficult.
“We only have three forwards and then it’s very difficult because you rely on the offer. Those players are better full backs with their wings ahead and therefore can overlap.
“[With a 3-4-3] we attack with three and it was easier to contain. Yes, we’ve always been in control with Germany, Scotland and the Czech Republic, but I thought an extra striker would help.
“It would be better to have full backs coming from behind.”
