England striker Ivan Toney has admitted to being annoyed with Gareth Southgate for bringing him on in the late stages of a recent game.
England’s 2-1 comeback victory over Slovakia naturally centred around Jude Bellingham’s stunning overhead kick, but there was another key factor to their turnaround: the introduction of Toney as a substitute in extra time, who then provided the assist for Harry Kane’s winning goal.
Toney said: “I feel like when you have two strikers, you just have to make yourself available, and that gives the opposition something else to think about. I can play the ball back to Harry and he can latch onto it.”
Having been brought on in the last two minutes of added time, Toney admitted to being angry with Southgate. He said: “At that moment, you just have to control your emotions. I was angry, I think my face showed it. But then you realise there’s 30 minutes left in the game, you have to focus. “
“It’s all sorted now. We’re good friends! You get excited to get on the pitch, everyone wants to play, not just me. In the final stages of the game you think, ‘When am I going to come on?’ You’re watching the clock, thinking: ‘Now, now, now.’ It doesn’t come and then it comes at the last minute.
“I’ve seen it many times, where you’re on the side ready to come on, but the ball doesn’t go out of play, you’re not allowed to be brought on until the final whistle. But if you’re sat on the bench not getting angry, then I think you haven’t got the right attitude, you’re not really wanting to play football. You have to stay focused when you come on and switch your mindset.”
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