Gallagher Vows to Impress Southgate Ahead of Euro 2024 Quarter-Final
As England prepare for their Euro 2024 quarter-final clash against Switzerland, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has vowed to prove his worth to manager Gareth Southgate after facing a difficult first-half substitution in the previous match.
England’s dramatic victory over Slovakia on Sunday saw them book their place in the quarter-finals, with Jude Bellingham’s stunning overhead kick drawing them level. However, Southgate faces selection headaches, particularly in the midfield department, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kobbie Mainoo, and Gallagher all vying for spots alongside the ever-reliable Declan Rice.
Gallagher, who was named in the starting lineup against Slovenia in the group stage, was substituted at half-time, a move that the 24-year-old admitted “certainly bruised” him, though he maintains no ill will towards Southgate.
“Obviously, it is not nice and you want to play as much as possible,” Gallagher told talkSPORT. “Getting an opportunity to start a game for England at a major tournament is incredible, and I was really excited.”
Despite the disappointment, Gallagher acknowledged Southgate’s reasoning, stating, “I understand the manager wanted to change a couple of things tactically, and bringing on Kobbie [Mainoo] to come a little deeper and pick up the ball, completely understandable.”
The competition for midfield places remains fierce, with the emergence of talents like Adam Wharton, who has impressed for Crystal Palace and earned a call-up to the England squad. Gallagher, however, is unfazed by the challenge, believing the healthy competition will only make him a better player.
“We are all kind of different, and I think in these games that we have had so far, the gaffer has chosen the player who he thinks is best suited to the game,” Gallagher said. “Me, personally, I will always bring energy and work as hard as I can going forward and defensively.”
As England prepare to face Switzerland, there are rumours that Southgate could opt for a back-three system, a formation the Three Lions have not used since the Euro 2020 final. Gallagher, however, insists that the tactics will remain largely the same, regardless of the formation.
“Nothing really changes with the England team,” he said. “Every tactic is something that we have done before and something we are familiar with.”
With the quarter-final clash set to take place on Saturday afternoon at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, and exclusively broadcast on talkSPORT, Gallagher will be determined to prove his worth and help England progress to the semi-finals of Euro 2024.
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