Southgate wants England to have quiet life at Euros
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Southgate's men will be among the top seeds when the draw for Euro 2024 is made in Hamburg
London (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate wants his side to enjoy the quiet life at the European Championship in Germany.
Southgate's men will be among the top seeds when the draw for Euro 2024 is made in Hamburg in December.
The 53-year-old will be at the draw not only to see who England face in the group stage but also to learn more about where they will be based during their stay in Germany. The tournament is being regionalised for sustainability purposes, with priority given to teams whose preferred base camps are closer to their match venues.
England have registered their interest in a number of options across Germany and Southgate suggested their base will be off the beaten path. "Really somewhere where we can be a little bit on our own. We need that nice contrast of relaxation and areas where we can work," he said.
"You want to minimise travel where you can but we are really, within the FA, our staff are really good at picking those venues that I think the players will enjoy and will feel comfortable in.
"You basically want to be somewhere where everything that's going on around you, you can zone out from really but somewhere with facilities that are good for working." The camp could be similar to Repino, a secluded area around 30 miles from downtown St Petersburg that provided England's base during the 2018 World Cup.
If Southgate has his way, it will not be anything like the base for their last major tournament in Germany, with Baden-Baden becoming a media circus for Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad during the 2006 World Cup.
"I wasn't involved in that tournament so I don't know how all that was but we have a great environment with our players," Southgate said. "We want their families to be able to go and enjoy the tournament as well. We normally welcome them in at various times.
"It changes the dynamic of the hotel, especially if the kids come in, and I think those elements are important for the players." Football Association officials have been scouring through the Euro 2024 base camp guide and have visited a number of potential destinations as the tournament edges closer.
England will be sweating on the draw to see if they get their venue of choice. "There is basically a catalogue and you've got to get in early, if you like, on certain venues or you can try and go off the catalogue and do something different," Southgate said. "We've had both options available to us and we are looking forward to finalising all of our plans."
