Phil Foden: Blame the players, not Gareth Southgate

Phil Foden says the England players need to shoulder the blame for their disappointing performances so far at the European Championship and that he feels “sorry” for Gareth Southgate.

In a candid interview Foden admitted he had been “frustrated” by the way he and England had played – “some of the games have not been us” – and called on the players themselves to show greater leadership ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland and take the pressure off the manager.

“I feel like the players have got to take some of the blame,” Foden said. “There has to be some leaders to get together and find out a solution to why it is not working. There is only so much the manager can do.”

‘It needs to come from the players’

Southgate has come in for severe criticism, with accusations that he had adopted conservative tactics and is not getting the best out of England’s exciting options, but Foden insisted it was not his fault.

“I feel sorry for Gareth. He has not set out to do that,” the 24-year-old said. “In training he has been telling us to press and be high up on the pitch and I feel like sometimes it has to come from the players. We have to be leaders and I feel like in those games we could have got together a little bit more and worked out a solution.

“We [the players] have spoken about it more and if it happens again in a game, we can get together and find a solution and see where it is going wrong and adapt our press.”

The expectation around England going into this tournament was even greater with Foden chosen as the best player in the Premier League, Harry Kane similarly lauded in the Bundesliga and Jude Bellingham in La Liga.

“I don’t know for the others you have mentioned but I have been a little frustrated,” Foden said. “I am not going to lie. I want to try and score, do better things for England and like I said it has not worked out. But it is about keeping a good mentality.

“I have not been the best player in the Premier League to come here and not show it. I feel like every game I am moving forward and hopefully I can put on some good performances and that has always been my aim for England.”

‘I have always seen myself playing midfield’

One of the arguments around Foden, of course, is whether he would be more effective playing as the No 10 – the position occupied by Bellingham – behind Kane rather than out wide on the left. “I think I have shown this season for City that I have moved more centrally and the goals have gone up and I have influenced more games,” Foden said.

“I have always been honest about my position and I have always seen myself as playing midfield. I feel like even though I have started on the left, I have drifted into those positions.

“It is more how we have been on the ball and not been able to find me because of the way the games have been. Earlier, we have not had many attacks. Some games we have had to dig deep and I am hoping no games are the same and hoping that against Switzerland we do see more of the ball and that our pressing is good.”

The discussion over positions and formations has even led to claims that Foden and Bellingham cannot play together and that they too often move into each other’s space. Foden is having none of that.

“No, I don’t agree with that. I feel like we do work good together. I keep saying it but it is true. It’s just the way the games have gone sometimes and the way football works,” he said. “In the last game [against Slovakia] we did build on it really well in terms of keeping the ball a lot more, we piled pressure on at the end and I feel like hopefully it can click together in the next game.”

Foden was substituted in the 94th minute of that last-16 with England losing 1-0 and going out of the tournament. There is footage of him walking around the pitch and behind the Slovakian goal just as Bellingham’s brilliant equaliser was scored. What was he thinking?

“I thought I’m 30 seconds away from doing baby feeds at home!” Foden said, in reference to his partner Rebecca Cooke giving birth to their third child last week. Foden made a “mad” dash back home before returning to the England camp. “So, thanks to Jude for that, thanks for doing it, saved me there!” he joked. “No, honestly, it’s unbelievable, what he did. Just sums Jude up. He never gives up until the end.”

It was a goal that led to a victory – with Kane heading home – that England hope will kickstart their campaign. “The way we won the game, it’s helped us in a way,” Foden said. “I feel like it’s given us so much more belief now, going into the next game. To win it in the way we did, a lot of emotions… we know we can do a lot better.”

No-one can fault Foden for effort – he has run the most of any England player during this tournament – and he has also been unfortunate, hitting the post against Denmark and having an effort ruled out for offside versus Slovakia.

“Some of the games have not been us,” he said. “We want to play possession football and sometimes the game’s not gone that way and you have to dig deep and defend. I’m one for always working hard. If you look at my stats the majority of the time I’m the one who’s run the most. People don’t see that side of the game which is important.”

Maybe, though, Foden can overcompensate? “It is difficult. I feel like sometimes I can get myself too hyped for a game,” he admitted. “It’s just about believing what you’ve done in the past and not getting carried away, not reading what people are saying, almost trying too hard. I just have to remain relaxed and hopefully let my football do the talking. That’s all I can do, really.”