Malta coach Gareth Southgate asked Jack Grealish and the Man City players to stop drinking and partying after joining the England team.
* Malta - England: 1:45 a.m. Saturday, June 17, Hanoi time.
"There is a limit and we always monitor where every player is," Southgate said on June 15 at a press conference ahead of the Malta match in the third round of Euro 2024 qualifying. "I have spoken to the players about what to focus on. I know what they have been through and that is my responsibility, but anything I can say to the players, I will do in private. There is no point in making those conversations public."
Coach Southgate at a press conference in Malta on June 15. Photo: FA
The 52-year-old admitted that he was having a new experience as he had never led a group of players to a treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. According to him, such a feat would change everything in the lives of this group of players, but stressed that they had not been distracted since joining the national team.
Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden, and Kalvin Phillips are among the 25-man England squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta on June 16 and North Macedonia on June 19. But the squad celebrated Man City's treble win for three days straight and only gathered on the evening of June 14.
After the 1-0 Champions League final win over Inter, Walker half-joked that he was ready to drink, party and apologise to Southgate. Grealish said he stayed up for two days to celebrate before the Cup parade in Manchester on the afternoon of June 12.
Southgate has been unhappy with his players partying, drinking and posting pictures and videos on social media, which have been made public. However, Southgate said the Man City squad are ready to play against Malta, but has not yet decided on the starting lineup.
Grealish (wearing glasses and a hood) was drunk and had to be helped by Kyle Walker (left) after an all-night party in Ibiza on June 12. Photo: Splash
Southgate said he had experienced a similar situation in 2019, when Liverpool met Tottenham in the Champions League final, and England played in the Nations League semi-finals just three days later. At that time, the "Three Lions" lost 1-3 to the Netherlands and then beat Switzerland on penalties in the third-place match.
"We're used to dealing with this and we know the players," Southgate said. "Our focus now is on the team. I've told the players I have to push them to get the results they need. The responsibility is on them, they have to support each other and perform the way they want to perform."
England currently lead Group C with six points, after beating Italy 2-1 and Ukraine 2-0.
Hong Duy
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