Euro 2024: fans boo poor England, throw beer at Southgate after another bore draw
- England top Group C, but boss Gareth Southgate says reaction to team has created ‘unusual environment’
England fans let manager Gareth Southgate know how they felt after an underwhelming 0-0 draw with Slovenia at Euro 2024, hurling empty beer cups in his direction.
Southgate, whose team finished top of Group C with five points but scored two goals in three games, said he would bear the brunt of the criticism but made a plea for the fans to support his players.
While England arrived as favourites, they have left fans frustrated with three tepid performances, falling short on their aim to make a statement with a decisive win on Tuesday, that would have set them up for the knockout rounds with momentum.
“I understand it. I’m not going to back away from it. The most important thing is the supporters stay with the team,” Southgate said.
“I understand the narrative towards me and 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.”
England, who were poor in their 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday, enjoyed 72 per cent possession and completed 694 passes compared to 208 from Slovenia but very few of them caused their opponents any real concern.