Newcastle United fans’ comments ahead of England v Spain game – On England, Euro 2024 and football coming home?

Ahead of the England v Spain game on Sunday night, we made a request to a number of Newcastle United fans.

Asking various regular/irregular contributors to The Mag what they thought of the national team, Sunday night’s game, the teams/tactics, club versus country, these England players and their manager, Euro 2024 as a tournament and so on.

Basically, an open invitation to contribute a few words ahead of the England v Spain final, anything they wanted to say that was remotely relevant.

So there you have it – a big thank you to everyone who responded (part two of this will be published on Sunday morning with more Newcastle United fans commenting) to the call and good luck to England on Sunday night!

Being here in Germany for the matches, it’s only natural that I want England to win, so I can celebrate like it’s 1966.

Spain was the team of the tournament and is a worthy finalist. We, not so much.

I’ve been very critical of Southgate’s tactics and selections, but we’re probably the only team who can beat them with the typical ‘bore them to death’ and ‘steal a goal at the end of the move’ attitude.

I think going after them from the start would be unwise as their wingers would destroy us on the counter, so this may be the only time I have any faith in Southgate’s approach. Time will tell. Enjoy the game wherever you’re watching.

As with most Euros, I have very little interest in this final. It’s as if Christmas brought the fair-weather drunks out of the house and filled the bar.

Southgate, extremely lucky, considered by many to be the best thing since sliced ​​bread, he only profited due to the ineptitude of others and was 30 seconds away from being knocked out. Stubborn with his players and tactics and boring to watch.

Club v Country, NUFC every minute of every day of every week, international football like women’s football is not for me, good luck to those who enjoy it.

Let’s go to the real football season.

It turns out I was the only one (when The Mag’s editor polled contributors three years ago) to predict an outright Italy victory over England in the postponed Euro 2021 final.

That was then, but that is how it is now, and it has to be said that England’s style of play under Gareth Southgate has not improved.

England basically stumbled into the Euro 2024 final despite initially being in one of the easier groups, and also ended up with a favourable set of games in the knockout stages. They also carried an incredible amount of luck.

It’s been 58 years since England won their only trophy. For the superstitious among you, 5+8=13. I personally don’t think this will be England’s night.

Luis de la Fuente’s Spain reached the final playing some gallant and exciting football. They beat Germany and France in the quarter-finals and semi-finals and should start the final as favourites.

Gareth Southgate will ask his players to do their usual thing and try to contain the Spaniards. He is a manager who reacts to what the opposition does rather than letting his own team dictate the pace of proceedings.

What people need to remember here is that Spain are a different proposition to the Italy of three years ago. They thrive on attack and have the forward players to hurt opponents. They are a solid team unit with a great work ethic.

Some say they may have peaked too early in the competition, but I don’t agree.

England also have players with match-winning potential in Saka and Bellingham, although so far I think Harry Kane has looked very average.

I’ve gone on record as saying that Ollie Watkins’ winning goal against Holland was a game-winner. England may need this lad again if they’re to have a chance.

Our own Anthony Gordon is more likely to be bitten by a giraffe in a confined space than he is to get a proper run under Southgate.

My prediction for the game is that Spain will defeat England in normal time, possibly by a score of 2-0.

I only support one team, Newcastle United. I don’t give a damn about those cheerleaders and international flag-wavers who show up all over the country in pubs and matchday zones every couple of years.

That said, two of my friends from North Shields NME (Keith and Basher) are there and will be in the final in Berlin. If England could do that I would be delighted for them as they have supported England at home and abroad for many years.

Well, when the European Championship was last played (1988) in Germany, I went to all three of England’s group games.

And my most memorable memory was the game Holland 3 England 1 played in Dusseldorf.

One of them was the performance of Marco van Basten, probably the best opposition player I have ever seen play in person (obviously he was on par with Luke O’Nien’s performance against us in Derby in January).

Secondly, one of my top ten in terms of atmosphere when I was there.

Unfortunately, over the years my support waned, to the point where I didn’t even go to the friendly against Bosnia for the warm-up game at St James’ Park.

At the last Euros I was in a large minority here who defended Southgate, my argument was that results were more important than performance.

In my opinion, this tournament overall has been absolutely terrible to watch, with every team seemingly wanting to play Pep style high intensity possession football. I mean, am I the only person who is tired of hearing an American bird trying to educate me about “high pressing, low pressing and playing through the lines”… or my personal favourite, “game management”, aka wasting time!

I have never seen so many dull matches, with teams after teams full of quality players playing the most insipid football. The masters of this are England.

Jesus wept, we have a generational set of players, only for Southgate to literally become the Steve Bruce of international football.

The only positive thing about this is that Southgate has somehow inherited the Geordie fraudster’s absurd fortune.

So, on Sunday, I will of course be rooting for the Three Lions against a Spanish team that has been a cut above all the other teams in the competition. However, let’s not kid ourselves, this current Spanish team is miles away from the golden generation of 2008, 2010 and 2012.

Now I’m quite perplexed about the players representing the national team. Yes, personally for Trippier and Gordon it’s a great honour, but I’d rather see them fit and raring to go for our opener against Southampton.

I actually read a report that Southgate wasn’t picking Anthony Gordon because the data showed that in possession he lost the ball too often. FFS, that’s because he takes risks, gets his man on the pitch and dare I say, gets the crowd going.

So on Sunday I will have three lions on my chest.