Gareth Southgate says England will be away from the tournament hubbub next summer with plans in place for a quiet European Championship base camp.
Monday’s 1-1 draw in North Macedonia rubber-stamped the Euro 2020 runners-up a place among the top seeds in the December 2 draw in Hamburg.
Southgate will be in attendance for a draw that will not only provide clarity on opposition and pathways but where England will be based during their stay in Germany.
This 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 suggests their base will be off the beaten path.
“Really somewhere where we can be a little bit on our own,” he said looking ahead to his fourth major tournament in charge.
“We need that nice contrast of relaxation and areas where we can work.
“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 sounds similar to the quiet, laid-back surrounds of Repino – a secluded area around 30 miles from downtown St Petersburg that provided England’s base during the 2018 World Cup.
It certainly will not be anything like the base for their last major tournament in Germany, with Baden-Baden becoming a media circus 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.”
The Football Association has been scouring through the Euro 2024 base camp guide and has visited a number of potential destinations as it edges closer.
England will be sweating on the draw to see if they get their venue of choice, with Southgate saying there are various things that go into it.
“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,” he said.
“We’ve had both options available to us and we are looking forward to finalising all of our plans.”
As for the potential opposition in Germany, the pots could prove cruel or kind and Southgate is ready whatever the outcome.
“There looks like being really strong teams in pot two and pot three looks like it could be very strong,” he added.
“In the Euros we had Croatia in with us, who proved to be one of the best teams in the world over the last few years and we managed to navigate that, so we’ve just got to be ready for whatever comes our way.”
Milan 3-3 Genoa: Thiaw own goal denies Rossoneri in six-goal thriller
Milan were pegged back to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Genoa in Serie A on Sunday.
Second-half goals from Matteo Gabbia and Olivier Giroud put Milan on course for victory, but a late own goal from Malick Thiaw rescued a point for the visitors.
Genoa's Mateo Retegui converted a penalty five minutes in, but Milan equalised just before half-time through an Alessandro Florenzi header.
The visitors regained the lead three minutes into the second half, however, when Caleb Ekuban sent a towering header home.
Milan turned the game around in three minutes, as Gabbia headed home in the 72nd and Giroud scored the hosts' third of the match with a volley from an acute angle.
Yet Genoa continued to push and a cross into the Milan box was inadvertently turned into his own net by defender Thiaw.
Second-placed Milan have 71 points, six ahead of Juventus who play later on Sunday. Genoa are 12th with 43 points.
Data Debrief: Like a fine wine
Age really is just a number for Milan's veteran campaigner Giroud, who has scored 14 goals in Serie A this season.
It is his highest tally in a single league campaign since netting 16 for Arsenal in the Premier League in 2015-16.
Reggae Girlz forward Jody Brown graduates from Florida State University
Reggae Girl and Florida State University soccer star Jody Brown celebrated a significant milestone this past weekend as she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Humanities. At just 22 years old, Brown has achieved remarkable success both on the soccer field and in her academic pursuits.
Brown was among 101 student-athletes who graduated from FSU between last Friday and Saturday.
During her time at Florida State, Brown played a pivotal role in securing two National Division 1 Soccer titles in 2021 and 2023, adding to her impressive list of accolades. She was also part of four ACC Division One championship-winning teams in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, highlighting her exceptional talent and contribution to collegiate soccer.
Brown's impact extended beyond the field, as she excelled academically, culminating in her graduation this year. Reflecting on her university experience, Brown took to Instagram to express her gratitude and nostalgia: "Four years of unforgettable memories, lessons, and lifelong friendships. Thank you Florida State University."
Her Instagram post garnered warm congratulations from fellow Reggae Girlz teammates, including Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, Kiki van Zanten, and Tiffany Cameron. Jamaican track and field icon Veronica Campbell Brown, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 200m, also joined in celebrating Brown's achievement.
Brown's journey from representing Jamaica at the age of 16 to competing in the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019 and 2023 underscores her dedication and talent both on and off the field. As she embarks on the next chapter of her career, Brown's achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and scholars alike, demonstrating the power of determination, resilience, and academic excellence in pursuit of one's goals.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen: Alonso's champions roll on
Bayer Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak as they secured a 5-1 away victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
The result leaves champions Leverkusen at the summit with 84 points, while Frankfurt sit sixth with 45.
Leverkusen's record unbeaten run, meanwhile, has now extended to 48 matches across all competitions.
Xabi Alonso's team opened the scoring through Granit Xhaka's bending strike from outside the box after 12 minutes.
Hugo Ekitike's perfectly timed header restored parity just after the half-hour mark, however.
Leverkusen retook the lead just before half-time through Patrik Schick's towering header.
It was 3-1 in the 58th minute, Exequiel Palacios converting a penalty after Niels Nkounkou pulled Nathan Tella by the shirt.
Jeremie Frimpong added a fourth for the visitors with 13 minutes remaining, tapping in from short distance, before the wing-back played a key role in Leverkusen's fifth, winning a penalty which was put away by Victor Boniface.
Data Debrief: Club history for free-scoring Leverkusen
Leverkusen have now scored 82 goals in this Bundesliga season, a new season record for the Werkself in the top flight.
They also lead the Bundesliga for the most goals from long-distance (11), most goals from set-pieces (23) and most goals in the final 15 minutes of matches (19).
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