World Cup: injury shock for England boss Gareth Southgate

There’s also concerns over Dele Alli ahead
of Sunday’s Panama clash

One-Minute Read

Fortunately for the Three Lions, who face Panama on Sunday, the
victim wasn’t a player but Gareth Southgate. 

The England manager dislocated his right shoulder yesterday
while on a 10k run near the squad’s base in Repino on the Gulf of
Finland. According to Sky Sports, the 47-year-old Southgate “tripped
and tried to break the fall with his arm, only to end up
dislocating his shoulder”. 

He staggered back to the squad’s base, where England team
doctor Rob Chakraverty accompanied him to hospital so he could have
the injury treated.

Southgate, who 36 hours earlier was seen wildly
celebrating England’s late winner against Tunisia, subsequently
made light of the injury. “I am just a bit gutted because I was on
for my record 10k time!” he said. “The doc has made it clear that
punching the air is not an option.”

With his arm in a sling, Southgate held a meeting with his
squad in the evening to discuss Sunday’s crucial group G match.
“They were a bit surprised in the team meeting,” he said, “and were
asking ‘what have you been doing!?’. As always, they were probably
quite amused. It is better this is me than one of the
players.”

Southgate also paid tribute to the England medical staff,
before issuing an apology. “We are lucky we have a top-class
medical team around us, so it was fine,” he said. “I had brilliant
help from them, and I am just sorry that I managed to ruin their
day off.

“They were supposed to be relaxing because we let the
players have a bit of time off and I am causing them
work.”

In fact, The Guardian reports that the England medical
staff have been working hard on Dele Alli, who suffered a slight
thigh strain in Monday’s victory. 

The paper says that the Tottenham midfielder is responding
well to treatment and while he will probably sit out Sunday’s clash
with Panama, “he should be back in contention for the game against
Belgium”.