Gareth Southgate

“If we are encouraging kids to go into academies, then presumably we are selling them the dream that they can play first-team football.”

“I didn't like it as a player when I felt a coach was fudging the reasons for leaving me out. As a player, I wanted to know where I was lacking in my game and where I could improve in order to get back in the team.”

“No England international is a practice match. Every time you wear this shirt, it is of importance for you, the country, and the supporters.”

“My priority is, do my players feel supported from within their dressing room by their own federation?”

“If we want to be a top team, we can't get to 3-0 and suddenly decide not to play without the ball. We have to play with intelligence right through the game.”

“I don't think, when you are involved with England, you can ever write any game or tournament off - that wouldn't be acceptable.”

“You have to be savvy. You have to be tactically aware, because that's what makes the difference in the big matches.”

“It's important to recognise every player is different in their own characteristics, personality, and what they respond to.”

“Write your own stories.”

“It's very difficult to pick a 17-year-old who's had 10 minutes of first-team football. You're talking about replacing senior players with some 17-year-olds who haven't played Premier League football.”

“Results are a consequence of doing things well and having high standards, improving the detail of how we play.”

“I've often said it's not just the level of your opponent: it's can you handle wearing the shirt and playing for England?”

“I think we've always got to have a mind of the feeling for the supporters about the importance of each match. We've got to be careful not to make tournaments too big and then make qualifying too straightforward.”

“Always, as a player, you are questioned and challenged about the next step. That's what drives the very best: they want to continually win.”

“I'm no David Beckham.”

“You want all players to be free of overthinking. That's when they're in a good place and a good flow.”

“You give everything you have, build friendships within your team - in international football, you give everything for your country and play in a way that you hope connects with the fans.”

“We have to make the players who haven't played matches feel valued.”

“I'm not the authority on the subject. I'm a middle-aged white guy speaking about racism. I'm just finding it a really difficult subject to broach.”

“You can never say you've 'made it,' because that's the day you stop progressing and improving.”