Phil Jones reveals ambitious move Gareth Southgate made in first meeting

Ex-England star Phil Jones reveals half-time a comment in England's World Cup semi-final against Croatia which 'has always stuck in his mind'...

• "2018 was honestly the first time I was away with England for a tournament where I thought 'we could actually win this'. You know, you look at that team, and I just felt we had an unbelievable chance of winning the World Cup."
• "You know, I can even remember being in the dressing room at half-time, when we're 1-0 up and Steve Holland said something which has always stuck in my mind... "Listen, lads. You'll not get a better chance to win this. You'll not get a better chance."
• "It was an incredible experience, coming back from the tournament. I remember being in the car, and I think we were in Birmingham. There were so many fans clapping us on the way out. I just remember thinking 'wow, we've really ignited the nation, here'."
• "When I compare that welcome to the one we had in 2014 after the group stage exit in Brazil, it's just so different. That was a case of getting off the plane, getting into your car, keeping your head down, driving home and trying not to be seen for three weeks."
• "There's been an ongoing strategy Gareth has had over the last few years, since he took the job. I remember when he took over, and in his first meeting with the lads, he was showing clips of the World Cup, the actual trophy, and the European trophy too. That was the first meeting we ever had with him, and that's what he had in mind for us."
• "I think that - in the back of his mind - Gareth [Southgate] will know now what he wants to do in the future. I'll be very surprised if he finishes the tournament and then makes a decision; I think he'll already know, and obviously he'll be keeping that decision close to his chest."
• "Whatever happens in this tournament, if this is to be his last as England manager, I think he can certainly leave with his head held high, knowing that he's left England in a much better place than what he inherited all those years ago."
  

2018 was honestly the first time I was away with England for a tournament where I thought 'we could actually win this'. You know, you look at that team, and I just felt we had an unbelievable chance of winning the World Cup.  

Tripps [Kieran Trippier] whipped a free-kick in the top bin after five minutes and you're just thinking 'this could be our day'. And then they equalised, and after their goal, you could just feel it was a bit of a backs to the walls job. They had a few chances, we still had a chance to nick it, it was so in the balance. Then Jordan Pickford made an unbelievable save late on... I was right behind it, from where I was stood, and I was just thinking 'God, this is going in'. But somehow Pickford keeps it out, and I really thought that was going to be the turning point for us. You know, I felt like that was going to be the catalyst for us to go on and win the game.

But we just couldn't get over the line. Players were cramping up, they were fatigued, it had been a long tournament up to that point, and we just couldn't do it. They scored in extra-time and that puts us out of the competition. 

You know, I can even remember being in the dressing room at half-time, when we're 1-0 up and Steve Holland said something which has always stuck in my mind. It was dead silent at half-time, everyone was thinking about the first-half, and what to expect from the next 45 minutes. Steve just said to us:

"Listen, lads. You'll not get a better chance to win this. You'll not get a better chance."

It gives me goosebumps now, just thinking about it. We had a great chance, but we just couldn't get over the line. Hopefully we go better and get the job done this summer. 

Coming back from a tournament like that is tough. I'd actually had my first little girl two days before the squad went out to Russia, so I was away for six weeks which was tough for me in itself, you know, mentally dealing with having my first child, and everything that was going on with England. 

But it was an incredible experience, coming back from the tournament. I remember being in the car, and I think we were in Birmingham. There were so many fans clapping us on the way out. I just remember thinking 'wow, we've really ignited the nation, here'. 

When I compare that welcome to the one we had in 2014 after the group stage exit in Brazil, it's just so different. That was a case of getting off the plane, getting into your car, keeping your head down, driving home and trying not to be seen for three weeks. That was what it was like in 2014. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't nice, we ultimately didn't play well enough. It was difficult. It was really difficult.

I think coming back from Russia in 2018 was probably the start of what was to come. This was a new England, this was the new way of what we were going to do, what we were going to achieve, and how we were going to go about it. We were going to go to finals, we were going to go to semi-finals, we were going to go far into these tournaments.

The mentality changed among the fans and the players. England, now, are just so much more connected to the fans, so much more engaged. Maybe in previous years it wasn't as enjoyable to watch, and maybe there were different cliques. 

You've got to give credit where credit's due, and I think Gareth's done a tremendous job in terms of bringing everyone together. The group is so united; it's a fun environment to be in. 

Gareth's always been a brilliant man-manager. He knows how to speak to his players, he knows how to address people. Ultimately, he's proven that he's a very good manager. I know people will say he's not won this, or he's not won that. But when you look at where we were, compared to where we are... it's a huge progression. Gareth's made a huge impact on this team, and on this nation. 

He really does deserve it. I hope that him and Steve, and the rest of the staff, can go out there and get the job done with the lads. I'd love to see them win it this year. 

There's been an ongoing strategy Gareth has had over the last few years, since he took the job. I remember when he took over, and in his first meeting with the lads, he was showing clips of the World Cup, the actual trophy, and the European trophy too. That was the first meeting we ever had with him, and that's what he had in mind for us. I can just remember coming out of that meeting with him and thinking 'wow, he's got some big ambitions here'. He outlined that from day one, and the lads have only ever taken it all onboard and understood they're in it for the long haul. 

I think that - in the back of his mind - Gareth [Southgate] will know now what he wants to do in the future. I'll be very surprised if he finishes the tournament and then makes a decision; I think he'll already know, and obviously he'll be keeping that decision close to his chest. It's up to him to speak with England and see where things go. I guess a lot will depend on how we do in the Euros, as well... it'll be a combination of things, really.

Maybe he comes out of the tournament and decides he wants a bit of a break. You know, he's been involved in international management for a while now, you wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to take a break. But, then again, maybe he wants to stay on for another tournament, or maybe he wants to jump straight into club management. It's very difficult to predict; only he'll know what he wants to do. 

But whatever happens in this tournament, if this is to be his last as England manager, I think he can certainly leave with his head held high, knowing that he's left England in a much better place than what he inherited all those years ago.

England are currently the favourites to win Euro 2024, with odds of 7/2. Ladbrokes has also looked at the betting odds for each of the countries competing in this summer's tournament.