NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia (AP) — England’s players were taken by surprise once this week. They don’t want a second shock on Sunday against the World Cup first-timers from Panama.
The England squad members were taken aback when they got to a team meeting on Thursday to find coach Gareth Southgate with his right arm in a sling , the result of a fall while out jogging on his own the day before.
"It is better me than one of the players!"#threelions https://t.co/HajfTAuKKb
— England (@England) June 20, 2018
The damage? A dislocated shoulder. The response from the players?
Southgate says “as always, they were probably quite amused.”
This squad, one of the youngest at the World Cup, is a fresh start for England, which is taking a far more relaxed approach under Southgate.
It can’t be light-hearted against Panama, though, because of the danger of an embarrassing upset.
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