SOUTHGATE REWARDS HARRY MAGUIRE FOR HIS TRUST IN ENGLAND
SOUTHGATE REWARDS HARRY MAGUIRE FOR HIS TRUST IN ENGLAND
By Rashmi Goel
Gareth Southgate's inclusion of him in the Three Lions squad at the World Cup has silenced those who questioned Gareth Southgate's decision to include him. A tough 18 months have preceded his participation in the World Cup. It has been his life experience to be abused, more than any other player in the Premier League during that period, and he has even been vilified by his own fans. His critics consider him to be the main reason for Manchester United's recent decline. As the captain of the team, he must take the brunt of the blame, whether he is right or wrong. At the start of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival overshadowed any respect he was gaining within the dressing room, and he was made the scapegoat for their losses to Brighton and Brentford.
It was Erik ten Hag's solution to remove his captain, and since then results have improved, however, Maguire has received the brunt of the fans' abuse. The problem has been ongoing and very serious. A letter purporting to place bombs around his family home led him to contact the police in April. It shows the character of a man to go through something like that and emerges from the other side with his head held high. Though his lack of club football was a concern, Southgate never lost faith in his center-back. When Maguire was not only selected for the team but also selected for the opener against Iran, those same people who claim that the England manager is boring wheeled out the same old lines about him having favorites. There are no favorites in Southgate's team. During his time wearing an England shirt, he has had players who have never let him down. Harry Maguire is ranked number one on that list. During the heyday of England's Golden Generation, the only topic of conversation was, ‘how do we get them to replicate their club form for England?’.
Everything has changed now. It has been Southgate's success to create an environment around the national team that motivates players even when they are out of form for their clubs. As a member of the squad for three tournaments, Maguire, 29, has contributed to a magical environment that should not be overlooked. Throughout each and every one of them, he has been outstanding. Whenever England has a set piece, he is the hero. As his club requires him to play in a high line, he is far more comfortable wearing a white shirt and reading the game better. The Three Lions will face far trickier tests in the knockout stage, but Maguire appears to be enjoying himself again, and England is seeing top performances once again. A manager's trust is everything to a center-half.
It is evident that Maguire's confidence has been crushed at the club level, but Southgate has never lost confidence in him. The public is back on board with him now that he has started every game in the group. A highly impressive performance against the USA affirmed Southgate's assessment, and with the knockout stages just around the corner, England will once again be dependent on their lovable, and dominant 'slab head' for success. The Sheffield-born lad is in an ideal environment for this tournament. In spite of all the media attention surrounding him in England, he has found refuge at the Three Lions' training base, the Souq Al Wakra. As a result of the Lions' Den YouTube videos, we have been able to learn more about Maguire's true self. A featured guest of the latest live stream, he appeared in flip-flops and looked relaxed as ever. With a beaming smile on his face, he participated in the darts game and exchanged jokes with the host, Josh Denzel. Despite the fact that he is now a senior member of this squad, we have seen him dive-bomb into the pool to scare Bukayo Saka, looking like a leader without the burden of responsibility. As Southgate's men enter the knockout stages, scrutiny will only increase on the Three Lions and Maguire. Nevertheless, it has been refreshing to see Maguire once again looking at home in an England shirt.
