Euros 2024

However well or badly the England team fares on Sunday, Gareth Southgate the team's manager has vindicated himself, despite critics early on not to mention  his having to survive a few plastic mugs of German beer which were thrown at him, though to be fair, the England supporters appear so far to have been well behaved.

The England team's progress  at first, was at best somewhat stuttering but so far they have come through.

Given the huge amount of Premiership, League Cup and FA Cup, football most of England's players had only just completed before the Euros, their initial somewhat far from excellent performance in Germany was perhaps not as surprising as many pundits in the media made out. Some teams from other countries similarly affected, could be moaned about as well.

The most recent match against the Netherlands was excellent to watch. The England  team was lucky to be awarded a penalty which Harry Kane converted well as  is not unusual for him. 

Penalties are not infrequently disputed in football;  sometimes luck is on one's side and sometimes it is not.

Substituting two of Englands best players including Harry Kane when the scoreline was still 1-1 in the closing minutes of the game, was controversial and many people and  BBC commentators, did not look pleased.

The look changed completely when substitute Ollie Watkins scored at the death, winning the game for England in the final seconds. 

No wonder King Charles implored  the team  to score earlier on Sunday to save supporters' nerves.