Football News Update: Euro 2024, Champions League, and More
Manchester United Manager Criticizes Southgate’s Tactics
In a surprising turn of events, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has criticized England boss Gareth Southgate’s tactics during the Three Lions’ 1-0 win over Serbia in their opening Group C match at Euro 2024.
England’s victory came courtesy of a first-half header from Jude Bellingham, but Ten Hag believes Southgate’s team played too passively in the second half, allowing Serbia to dominate possession.
“England were playing very passive. I actually saw them moving backwards, they kept Serbia coming at them. It’s the vision of the manager [Southgate],” the United boss said.
Richards Hits Back at Ten Hag’s Criticism
However, former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has hit back at Ten Hag, suggesting the Dutchman should focus on his own team’s performance rather than criticizing another manager.
“Glass houses, to start with,” Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast. “We basically had this conversational in the FA Cup final and now he’s being a pundit talking about how managers are playing in a negative fashion.”
England’s Euro 2024 Campaign Off to a Solid Start
Despite the criticism, England’s win over Serbia was a solid start to their Euro 2024 campaign. Former England striker Alan Shearer acknowledged that the Three Lions often start tournaments slowly, but he was disappointed with their second-half display.
“I was surprised in the second half how far we went back,” Shearer said. “It was really poor, but it’s an opening game of a European Championships and England notoriously have s*** records in opening games.”
Other Football Updates
Elsewhere in the world of football, the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup preparations continue, while the Africa Cup of Nations standings are taking shape. In domestic action, the Premier League, EFL Cup, EFL Championship, EFL One, EFL Two, and FA Cup are all generating excitement among fans.
Stay tuned to Football News Network for the latest updates on these and other top football stories.
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