CNN
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England coach Gareth Southgate has a lot to do as the World Cup in Qatar draws ever closer. He’s trying to turn around an England football team enduring their worst form since 1992, while dealing with an ever-growing injury list. All this as he prepares for the first World Cup staged mid-season.
Moreover, this is a World Cup – starting on November 20 – which has been hampered by a number of human rights issues.
The Guardian reported last year that 6,500 migrant workers had died in the country in the 10 years since Qatar’s successful bid to host the tournament in 2010, most of whom were involved in low-paid and dangerous work. , often performed in extremely hot conditions.
The report – “categorically” denied by tournament organizers – did not link the 6,500 deaths to World Cup infrastructure projects and has not been independently verified by CNN.
Qatar has also faced criticism for the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws.
Nonetheless, Southgate believes the World Cup should take place and says that view is shared by Qatari workers he has spoken to.
“I’ve been to Qatar a few times and I’ve met a lot of workers there and they’re certainly united on one thing and that’s they want the tournament to happen, and they want it because they love it. football. They want football to come to Qatar,” Southgate told CNN’s Amanda Davies.
However, the England manager is unlikely to remain silent on the human rights issues that haunted Qatar ahead of the World Cup.
“As the FA, we have spoken to human rights groups about what they would like to see, and we are trying to support these ideas with compensation for families who have lost workers and a center for workers’ rights,” Southgate said. “So we support the things that we’ve been asked to support.”
In June, England captain Harry Kane revealed he had discussed a collective stance on human rights in Qatar with Dane Christian Eriksen and French captain Hugo Lloris.
The three captains’ national teams, along with five other nations, will all take part in the “OneLove” campaign promoting inclusion and opposing discrimination and will wear a distinctive OneLove armband which features a heart containing colors from all walks of life – during the tournament.
The Qatari government has bristled at the criticism the Gulf state has faced.
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani recently told Qatar’s Shura Legislative Council that his country had “been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has ever faced”.
“We initially approached the issue in good faith, and even considered some of the reviews to be positive and helpful in helping us develop those aspects of ours that need to be developed.
“But it soon became clear to us that the campaign tended to continue and expand to include such fierce fabrications and double standards that it sadly left many questioning the real reasons and motivations behind it. of this campaign,” he said.
While the legacy of the World Cup in Qatar – for now – remains unclear, Southgate says: “In the years to come, I know I will look back and think about what a life experience and what an amazing thing to live .
“I mean, in the end football is everything. That’s why we are here. That’s what we’re here to do.
On England’s chances of winning the World Cup, Southgate said: “There are complications with the consistency of play of some of our important players. There are going to be injuries before the tournament and how much will that affect us? There’s no point in looking further, but of course in the end it’s no point if we don’t try to win.
Being manager of the England team has often been called an ‘impossible job’, but Southgate has done a very good job in the role, reaching the semi-final of the World Cup in 2018 and then the final of the Euro 2020.
“There are more expectations than when we went to Russia,” Southgate said in reference to the 2018 World Cup.
“But every time you put on an England shirt there is always pressure. The incredible heights you get from leading your country to those great nights will always be outweighed by hard times and discomfort, and you have to lead through this.
“You have to bring your best players onto the pitch in a way that you get the most out of them. And then, of course, you have to deliver in the tournament. This is where you will always be judged as an international manager.
On their chances of winning the World Cup, Southgate adds: “There are complications with the consistency of some of our important players. There are going to be injuries before the tournament and how much will that affect us? There’s no point in looking further, but of course in the end it’s no point if we don’t try to win.
