Sport

Southgate’s Euro squad building begins

Oliver Sanderson Editor

In early September, Gareth Southgate’s England squad will face international opposition for the frst time since the coronavirus outbreak, with Nations

League fxtures against Iceland and Denmark.

These fxtures mark the beginning of a season which will culminate in a chance for glory at the European

Championships. Southgate’s frst squad of the season indicates that planning for next summer has already begun.

England’s 24-man squad comprises many of the usual suspects. Eric Dier, Joe Gomez and Alexander

Arnold will take up defensive roles, whereas Kane,

Sterling and Rashford are to provide their typical attacking frepower. If it were not for injury or a controversial legal saga, Jordan Henderson and

Harry Maguire would also have made the cut.

However, the goalkeeping position makes for an intriguing topic of discussion. England have historically struggled for depth in this department, yet Southgate’s inclusion of Jordan Pickford, Nick

Pope and Dean Henderson shows that the Three Lions are fnally spoilt for choice between the sticks. Each of these three are frst team regulars at

Premier League level.

Yaz Bugel

It can be easy to forget that confdence in the gym doesn’t necessarily come from what weight you can lift or how defned your abs are- confdence can simply come from comfort and familiarity in the gym you go to. It’s important to remember that everyone has to start somewhere; there’s always a ‘frst time’ for everything. At some point, we have all, regardless of gender, been a new person at the gym, trying a daunting piece of equipment for the frst time.

Even as an avid gym-goer, the moment I step into a new gym with an unfamiliar set-up, I feel lost and I freak out. However, the more times I go to or try something, the more familiar it becomes, and with greater familiarity comes greater confdence.

Particularly as a woman, it can be daunting going into certain areas of the gym, or even going to the gym full-stop, due to fear of looking inexperienced or of being judged. The weights section of a gym is almost always dominated by men and so I understand that a lot of females feel out of place. But once you step out of your comfort zone and face it, it just becomes any other part of the gym. It’s the same with going to the gym alone; the frst time you do it you can build up so much anxiety about training, but after a while you forget what it’s like to train with someone else.

Here are some tips I’d give to anyone trying to build confdence in the gym: Despite Pickford being tried and tested for

England, his club form in the 2019/20 season has placed his frst team position in jeopardy. The Everton goalkeeper conceded 56 goals last season, 23 more than Henderson did for Shefeld United. Based on stats and form, Henderson appears the favourite to assume the goalkeeper position, as he recorded an impressive 13 clean sheets in his debut season in the Premier League. It remains to be seen how

Southgate will decide between three talented young goalkeepers, each with their own claim to a starting spot.

Southgate’s selection of midfelders has also posed interesting questions. Kalvin Phillips has been welcomed into the squad for a deserved frst England call-up, having recently helped Leeds in their long-awaited promotion to the Premier League.

Phillips is naturally a holding midfeld player who acts as a pivot in building attacks. His presence alongside Harry Winks, Declan Rice and James

Ward-Prowse shows that Southgate is intent on constructing a midfeld adept in ball retention with an ability to protect the defence from counterattacks.

This defensive approach gives the likes of James

Maddison, Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley an uncertain future in Southgate’s long-term plans. 1) The day you start, ask a member of staf to take you round and show you where everything is. Ask questions to put you at ease- no question is a silly question. 2) Go to the gym at quieter times in the day. I avoid the gym any time after 5pm because it gets crowded and there’s less equipment to use. I like going during of-peak times if I want to experiment with new exercises and machines. 3) Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for help or advice at the gym. Many times, I’ve asked people to check my form when lifting heavy weights to make sure I’m not causing my body any damage. The frst time you ask can be humiliating but once you realize everyone in the gym is there for more or less the same reason, to improve in some way or another, mentally or physically, you’ve broken down another barrier. 4) Invest in some gym clothes that make you feel confdent to train in. Have no shame in how you look; the more comfortable you feel, the more confdent you will be! I remember the frst time I ever wore a sports bra to the gym- I worried about showing too much of my stomach. AT A GYM!? Again, once I broke down that barrier and realized I deserved to embrace what I’d worked hard at the gym for, I lost all care for hiding it. When I’m on my period I like to wear something looser that covers my body a little more to feel more comfortable. It’s all about how YOU feel. If it is midfeld balance that the Three Lions are looking for, attack-minded midfelders such as this face an uphill struggle to break into the frst team. England’s starting-11 to face Iceland is far from decided, yet their setup promises an exciting albeit slightly experimental approach. With the inclusion of teenagers Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood, Southgate’s desire to build a squad for the future is evident. If he can answer the questions that his own squad selection has posed, this could be a season for English football fans to remember.

Breaking down barriers: Being a confdent woman in the gym

Image: thefa.com

5) I follow a few ftness accounts on Instagram where people post videos of gym equipment and how to use it correctly. Consult their videos in the gym for inspiration and clarifcation.

6) While I don’t usually listen to tunes at the gym because I like to be aware of my surroundings, I’d recommend putting in headphones and listening to upbeat music that makes you comfortable as a way to distract yourself from worrying about what other people think. It puts you in your own little zone and you just become oblivious to everyone else.

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