Henry’s so helpful
Gareth is the Real McCoy Khazri on the prowl
him to bring him down for a penalty that the Chelsea man converted for the winner.
“It was c**p,” he said. “I was gutted. But you move on. You have to, I can’t sit on my a**e and dwell on it for weeks and weeks. I’d be ready to jump off a bridge if I think like that.”
What would his mindset be if he is picked to take on Hazard again in Kaliningrad? “To win the game,” he said. “You’ve got to discard the baggage. It happens to every single player, all over the world, every day. I like to think I’m wise enough and experienced enough to deal with it and get on with it.
“Hazard’s got to be up there with the best in the world. He’s sharp, quick, agile and a difficult player to play against. But there are talented players all over the squads. We’ve got some here as well. I’m more interested in what we’ve got.” There was speculation he was Gareth – and I have to say it’s Gareth – has brought together a way of working for the players and the staff that it is one big group of people. And that’s him.
“That’s how he worked with the Under-21s. So he has been instrumental in that and has to take the credit.”
Ashworth’s job is to ensure improvement does not stop with Southgate. “Do I want an English set to leave United last summer after Jose Mourinho signed Victor Lindelof a year after buying another centre-back Eric Bailly and Jones was pictured watching a Stoke game. United have also been linked recently with Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld.
“That’s the problem,” he said. “One picture and everyone talks about it. I was never on my way. I’m sure after the World Cup there will be some other coach to manage the English team? Yes. That is my view and not necessarily the view of the FA,” added Ashworth, right.
“But we have some good young English coaches such as Steve Cooper, Paul Simpson, Keith Downing and Aidy Boothroyd who have won things at different levels. Then there are the ones working in TUNISIA winger Wahbi Khazri is hopeful of playing some part against England on Monday but admits he is still not fully fit.
The Sunderland winger, who impressed last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Rennes, has not played since suffering a thigh injury in April. But he has been taking a full part in training recently and expects to be available to face the Three Lions and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, his former Black Cats team-mate. “I feel pretty good – I’m happy to go back to work and play,” he said. “I may not be able to play the 90 minutes, but what really matters is that I can help the team.”
Tunisia are rated as outsiders to qualify from Group G, behind England and Belgium but Khazri, above, is ready for the challenge.
“We are aware that we have a really tough group,” he said. “We know that the favourites to advance to the second round are Belgium and England, but we have a good team who play well together. Let’s fight for it.” story about me going somewhere else. But I am not interested.”
Jones came in for more social media banter when Panini published their England stickers and his looked like a painting of a matinee idol.
When shown it yesterday he gave his approval in the same good-natured way he has handled the praise and the stick over the years. “That’s a belter – I’ll take that,” he said. the game – Lee Johnson, Gary Rowett, Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche. They are all considered young managers.” With both Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard cutting their teeth as managers, Ashworth feels the mantle could be passed even further down. His more immediate concern is a successful World Cup and, along with the rest of the squad, he is in bullish mood.
“We’ve come here to try and win seven games,” he said. “We’ve turned up to attack and try to win it.
“‘But honestly there isn’t a hard-and-fast target. We want to inspire the nation and we want the nation to be proud of our football team.
“We will do that in two ways – by winning enough games and playing in a way that makes them proud.” BELGIUM are feeding off the World Cup experience of France’s Thierry Henry.
Henry, a 1998 World Cup winner and a man who played in four consecutive tournaments, is one of manager Roberto Martinez’s assistants in what is his first coaching role.
Defender Toby Alderweireld said: “He tells us stories from his playing days and they inspire us. If he says something, it always turns out to be something helpful. His presence, his World Cup experience, is all very positive.”
Striker Michy Batshuayi said: “Thierry gives me a lot of advice and lets me grow as a player.”