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'It's a journey I didn't expect or want to be on'

Gareth Southgate’s England get their World Cup campaign underway tomorrow.

ENGLAND MANAGER GARETH has said that he never expected to lead his country into a World Cup, but is now excited by the prospect of doing it in Russia.

Southgate was promoted from the under-21 set up to guide England through qualifying when Sam Allardyce’s short reign was ended after one game in charge.

The 47-year-old has been impressive during his tenure as Three Lions boss so far, but admits he had reservations about taking the job given the circumstances.

“It’s a journey I didn’t expect or want to be on,” Southgate told BBC Sport . “I was hoping that in the last Euros the team was going to do really well and Roy [Hodgson] would still be there.

“When Sam Allardyce was appointed, I was under-21 coach and there to support him.

“I have said from the off I wasn’t comfortable with the manner in which I took the reins, but I have enjoyed the responsibility.

“I’ve enjoyed having the role and I think I was the best qualified person with the best experiences to take it at the time it came up.”

England get their tournament underway tomorrow when they face Tunisia in their opening Group G fixture.

Meanwhile, striker Harry Kane is adamant that captaining the side at the World Cup will not impact on his own game

“Whatever anyone says, my game has always been about putting the team first,” he said.

“For me, nothing changes whether I am captain or not. I make the best decision for the team – and hopefully it’s the right one.

“I feel exactly the same now as I did before I was captain. I don’t feel any extra pressure just because I’m wearing the armband. My game won’t change. Certainly my personality won’t change.

“I still look to push myself, to push other players, and I hope my team-mates can now look at me as someone they can talk to. But I’m still the same man. I haven’t changed.

“I don’t feel that just because I am captain I don’t have to maintain the standards I have set. When you are England’s striker, you have a responsibility to score the goals.”

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Jun 17th 2018, 11:25 AM

    I expect them to do quite well this time around , probably won’t win it but they seem to be a close group so if they perform as a team then they could be in with a shout …

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    Mute Alana
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    Jun 17th 2018, 12:01 PM

    @Hardly Normal: that goes for most teams

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    Mute Dave Bourke
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    Jun 17th 2018, 12:43 PM

    @Alana: hows your Mum ?

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    Mute Alana
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    Jun 17th 2018, 1:17 PM

    @Dave Bourke: jeez I must really get under your skin with a comment like that. Thanks man you just made my day!!!! lol

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    Mute Alana
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    Jun 17th 2018, 3:40 PM

    @Dave Bourke: I’m still smiling

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    Mute Dave Bourke
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    Jun 17th 2018, 3:58 PM

    @Alana: so am I just visited her

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    Mute Alana
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    Jun 17th 2018, 5:39 PM

    @Dave Bourke: are you into 80 year old women?

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    Mute Kieran Fogarty
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    Jun 17th 2018, 1:59 PM

    Actually like Southgate as a manager..didn’t have a good CV and id doubt many English wanted him when he got the job, but did a decent job since, he gave a lot of young players a look in during qualifiers and wasn’t afraid to drop Hart or Wilshire

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    Mute ManUtdMan
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    Jun 17th 2018, 2:07 PM

    @Kieran Fogarty: didn’t have a good CV? He’s played at CB for England & captained the squad as far as I remember. As for his management career it’s only started?? I think he’ll do well there the players seem to respect him with some good words coming out of the camp by the young players he already managed at under 21 level

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    Mute Kieran Fogarty
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    Jun 17th 2018, 2:38 PM

    @ManUtdMan: Managerial CV I meant..you know yourself a good player doesn’t mean a good manager…he was managing Middlesbrough about ten years ago when they got relegated thats a while now.

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    Mute EnKy
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    Jun 17th 2018, 3:16 PM

    @Kieran Fogarty: He seems to know what’s right and wrong with the English national team and the surrounding environment. For example, as you say, he’s taken a stand against sacred cows like Hart and Wilshere, as well as 4-4-2. Furthermore, he’s taken a stand against racism. Whatever about tactical nous, he’s been on the receiving end of the media bile himself following his penalty miss as a player so he’s able to shelter his players from that internally while creating an internal environment that the players seem to revel in. I don’t think they have the midfield to beat a superpower though but I expect a valiant effort.

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    Mute ManUtdMan
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    Jun 17th 2018, 10:22 PM

    @Kieran Fogarty: I agree man I just think he deserves a chance, all the right sounds coming out of that camp this time & he’s made some big decisions that really should have been made a few years ago by much bigger names. Interesting times for that English team if the press stay off their backs

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    Mute Andrew Tuite
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    Jun 17th 2018, 8:40 PM

    Commander Waterford.

    To be fair he’s probably fancying it a bit now considering a lot of the fancied teams to date have been dire

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    Mute Stevie Doran
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    Jun 18th 2018, 12:08 AM

    I wish they had this lazzaire-fare attitudes “don’t expect much from us” with a team of great players from back in the day, instead it’s one great player in Kane carrying the front line albeit the team , if he’s injuref then it’s Vardy..yikes

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