Sports psychologist: How England can win the Euros

  • Loughborough University Professor Sophia Jowett talks to ITV News Central

England can win the Euros but there are signs of 'division' between manager Gareth Southgate and the players. That's the view of a leading sports psychologist.Loughborough University Professor Sophia Jowett has worked with Olympians and is an expert in the relationship between coaches and their athletes.This is the first time England have gone to a major tournament under Southgate without a psychologist attached to the team but Professor Jowett praised them for their late comeback against Slovakia.

England beat Slovakia 2-1 after extra-time in their last-16 tie in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday (30 June).

Professor Jowett said: "Well done to their resilience and really fighting at the very end of the game. It is very clear to me that they can go all the way."But England's campaign is also turning into an interesting case study for her. Why is this squad of superstars underperforming?

Slovakia's Ivan Schranz scores past Jordan Pickford to put his side 1-0 up against England. Credit: PA images

She suggests the messaging from Southgate, previously renowned as a great communicator, could improve.

She said: "His interviews and listening and reading his statements highlights perhaps there is a little bit of a separation, a little bit of division between he the coach, the coaching team included, and the team of players."He's spoken about trying to embed different principles and the athletes have to adapt and consider these changes because clearly they have been asked to play in different positions."I think there might be some sort of gap, this is a hypothesis clearly we don't know what is going on inside the camp, but this division may create a little bit of friction and that translates in the ways that the players play.

"We see some ambiguity in the ways that they play, some uncertainty, perhaps not holding positions as they might have done if the situation was different."

Jude Bellingham scores an overhead kick to level the game between England and Slovakia. Credit: PA images

One of few moments of conviction in their win against Slovakia was Stourbridge-born Jude Bellingham's 95th minute overhead kick. Jowett is impressed not only by his skills but his combative talk.

"Undoubtedly, a 21-year-old footballer going out with such a great deal of confidence, knowing this is perhaps not his best performance but really fighting until the end is something to be commended.

"And his interviews are absolutely outstanding actually, I think, from the point of view that he shows a maturity, the articulation and the confidence to say it like it is."But if he is to play in the semi-finals Professor Jowett thinks England need to show more unity.

Harry Kane heads in the winner as England go 2-1 up against Slovakia. Credit: PA imagea

She said: "What I would like to see going forward, because the opportunity is there, to see the coaches and the players creating that unit, that oneness, that togetherness because that can be very transformational and create that energy and power that perhaps we haven't seen so far."Gareth talking about the vision and the mission that they have in a way that is more convincing and confident might help bring the players together, in fact, the fans and everybody who supports them."

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