Phil Foden admits he 'feels sorry' for Gareth Southgate and says England stars must take blame for dismal Euro 2024 performances

As a quarter-final against Switzerland looms, England are under pressure to deliver a significant improvement following their lacklustre displays in the initial stages of the tournament. The dramatic victory over Slovakia on Sunday provided a brief respite from the criticism, but the focus has quickly shifted to ensuring a better performance against Switzerland.

Foden has openly acknowledged the difficulties England have faced and expressed empathy for Southgate. He emphasized that the players need to take more responsibility on the pitch and the manager should not be singled out for the team's underwhelming performances.

Talking to reporters, Foden said: "I feel sorry for Gareth. In training, he has been ­telling us to press and be high up on the pitch. Sometimes it has to come from the players. We have to be leaders and I feel like in games we could have got together more and worked out a ­solution. We have spoken about it more and if it happens again we can find a solution and adapt our press.

“The players have to take some of the blame. There has to be some leaders to get together. There is only so much the manager can do. He sets you up in a system and tells you how to press. You never decide when a person is going to drop deep as well. The players have to adapt to what the other team is doing to be better. Hopefully, you will see a different side to us ­pressing wise.”

Southgate has expressed concerns over the physical condition of his squad, with key players like John Stones dealing with injuries. Stones was seen with strapping on his right knee during training, raising further worries about his availability. Despite these challenges, Foden remains optimistic about England's prospects against Switzerland. "You can prepare for a game but you can’t prepare for players moving out of position and making it awkward for you. Hopefully, going into this game we can get it right," he said.

England's journey at Euro 2024 has been turbulent, but there is hope that the lessons learned from their early matches will lead to a stronger performance in the knockout stages. Foden's willingness to speak openly about the team's shortcomings reflects a mature approach to addressing their issues and as they prepare to face Switzerland, the focus is on unity, tactical clarity, and the determination to advance further in the tournament.