Neil Warnock has said he wants to give Gareth Southgate a ‘kick up his back side’ after England struggled to get out of first gear during the group stages at Euro 2024.
It was an uninspiring display from England in all three group matches with Southgate making just one change from his starting line-up throughout.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the only player taken out of the starting XI with Conor Gallagher brought in to replace him for the final group game against Slovenia.
The single change failed to ignite an England side lacking in ideas, although substitute Cole Palmer showed promising signs when he was brought on in the second half.
Gareth Southgate has taken on heavy criticism at the Euros
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The Chelsea star is seen as one of England’s most talented attacking players, but he made just one substitute appearance during the group stage.
And Warnock, who is joining Torquay as their football advisor, feels Southgate missed a trick by not starting Palmer or Anthony Gordon over Saka in one match.
He told talkSPORT: “When you’re playing against people like Saka, who I think is really exciting, as a manager playing against him now I’d just let my full back go and mark him and play 10 against 10.
“Although he’s a good player, they’d nullify him in those three games because they’ve all been watching the videos and they know what he’s good at.
“So why not give Anthony Gordon or Palmer a game just to get their lads thinking ‘oh he might play him’ or ‘he might play him’.
“I don’t think we’ve done enough to disrupt the opponents.”
“I think if you’re gonna criticise him over the past year, it’s making decisions earlier.
“It’s hard because when you’re doing alright – I know they’ve not been doing alright – you don’t want to make a substitute in case that backfires on you.
“I just wish he’d have a gamble here and there and just sort of a kick up his back side at times.”
Bukayo Saka started all three group games
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Southgate has taken heavy criticism throughout the Euros for England’s below-par performances.
And Warnock feels Southgate has been missing someone with a bit more of a steely nature alongside him in the dugout.
“From a manager’s point of view, you say you don’t listen, but he must know he’s getting pelters,” he said.
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Cole Palmer has looked impressive when he’s featured
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“I know that Gareth and I think he’s done an amazing job with the youngsters.
“I wish he’d have had another member of staff. I think his staff are all like him. They’re all nice people and I think sometimes you’ve got to have that little bit push because they’re in a comfort – it’s a lovely dressing room, they’re nice lads, good players and sometimes you just need a little bit of something different.
“That one thing that disappointed me really if I’m honest is the fact that once qualifying, why didn’t he give people like Gordon and Palmer and Mainoo, Toney or Watkins a game in that last game?”