UEFA NL: Slovenia Draw Cyprus, Bulgaria And Norway

The Slovenian national football team will slug it out against Cyprus, Bulgaria and Norway in the forthcoming group stage of the UEFA Nations League tournament. Slovenia got to know of their opponents following the draw in Lausanne, Switzerland on Wednesday.

The international competition is set to replace international friendly matches across Europe, with its widespread support and adoption. The first campaign is set to begin in September later this year. The new tournament is expected to offer an alternative path to the Euro 2020 finals via playoffs. Read More

JILL SCOTT SAYS ENGLAND WOULD REACH FINAL

England midfielder Jill Scott says that the team would reach the final of the ongoing Women Euro 2017 in her absence.


She is suspended for the semi-final clash with the hosts Holland after her second yellow card in the 1-0 against France in the last game.

“I’m disappointed I can’t put myself up for selection. But I’m very confident in this team and I know we will carry on this journey on Thursday,” she said.

The Manchester City star scored in the Euro 2009 semi-final when England clashed with the Netherlands. She scored in the extra time as the Lioness emerged 2-1 winners. Scott was also available when England defeated them 1-0 last November. Read More

Southgate on England defeat

England’s manager Gareth Southgate has stated that there is no magic wand to make England better and that the players will have to improve.


He said that the England national team is still behind the best teams in the world and that it will take time to change that.

He said that it was the first time that he was angry with players since taking charge of the national team. He said that the players know it and that they know that they have not been good enough. He believes that the players need to learn how to control the game better.

Gareth Southgate said that it was a disappointment for him to have lost the game, especially when playing against ten men.

He stated that this was a reality check for the team. He indicated that it is true that the England team has some exciting youngsters and that they have been quite successful so far when it comes to winning games against small sides but they will need to improve if they want to win games against the better teams. Read More

KLOPP ANGRY WITH LALLANA’S INJURY

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is mad that his star player Adam Lallana picked up an injury whilst in action for the Three Lions during a crucial moment for the club this season.


The German tactician says he is not pleased with the scheduling of the friendly against Germany – which England lost 1-0 courtesy of a Lucas Podolski strike.

Lallana was injured in the first half of the clash with Lithuania. However he played the entire game thinking it was just a dead leg. On reaching Anfield, the thigh injury has been checked out, with the professionals declaring him unfit for the next four weeks.

Liverpool are involved with Everton in a Merseyside derby this weekend, and they are in the race for the top four as the season winds down. So evidently Klopp is angry that he is a man down during this time in the campaign.

“It’s hard for us to lose a player like Adam for four weeks, which would be eight games – it’s a lot. Whoever though it was a good idea to play Manchester City and Liverpool on Sunday night and then Germany against England on Wednesday – it makes no sense.

“We all have to start to work much better together: the FA, the Premier League, television and the clubs because we’re trying to sell the best product,” Klopp said. Read More

Guardiola wants B team

Pep Guardiola has stated that the Premier League is affecting the development of English players and that they need to make changes if they want the England team to improve.
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He believes that the Premier League clubs should be allowed to play their second team in the lower leagues of English football as this will encourage the development of new players. This is a concept that is already in place in various European leagues.

Pep Guardiola said that this is what is done in Spain and this encouraged the development of players. He said that in England you have the reserve league, but there are no spectators. He said that the young players do not play under any kind of pressure and this is hindering their development.

For him, this is the main reason why young English players fail when they come to a big club such as Manchester City, and he said that he wants this to change.

Pep Guardiola believes that the younger players would have benefited a lot from playing against a team such as Newcastle United in the Championship. The players would have played in a competitive game and would have learned how to play under pressure. Read More

Roy Hodgson doesn’t desire to leave the English set up presently.

He reckons no coach would will to break the association with a team that is set up beautifully and is about to peak.


But, he admits his future involvement is not something that would be his call and it is up to how the top brass sees it.

Speaking on the occasion of unveiling the squad which he would be travelling to France with, Hodgson said, “England can be a very, very special team in the close future and nobody, as a coach, would like to be going out at such stage.”

“But, you don’t always have it in your own hands and more than your keenness, it’s the opinion of the others who are above you matters.”

“Having worked in the coaching field for forty years, I can’t shy away from the fact that showing the returns is important as well and at the end of the day, that’s what everyone sees.”

The FA has not given away too much in terms of what is the least stage they want the team to get to in the Euros. Read More