FIFA World Cup 2018: Gareth Southgate not concerned with training notes leaking

England players train on the eve of their Group 'G' match against Panama in Repino, Russia on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Gareth Southgate called for the country's media to get behind the team at the World Cup after England assistant manager Steve Holland's training notes were published.

Gareth Southgate

A week that started with a last-gasp 2-1 win against Tunisia will end with the Three Lions' penultimate Group 'G' match against Panama on Sunday. Preparations for that match have been overshadowed by speculation about the line-up after assistant Holland was pictured on Thursday holding a note that appeared to outline England's plans for Nizhny Novgorod. The sheet spotted in training seemingly showed that Ruben Loftus-Cheek would come in for the injured Dele Alli against Panama, with Marcus Rashford replacing Raheem Sterling at the front of the 3-5-2.

England assistant manager Steve Holland accidentally reveals team's training notes on Thursday. Pic/Twitter

The significance of that note remains to be seen, but right-back Kyle Walker revealed assistant Holland apologised to the squad for his part after manager Southgate questioned whether it was right to publish the photo.

"It doesn't bother me in the slightest," the England boss said. "It is a squad of 23 names on the sheet, the next sheet has different players in different positions because we swap people in and swap people out. The stories are then run as they are. For me, no drama. Obviously any time, if we were to give the opposition the opportunity of having our team it's a disadvantage to us. "So, of course, our media have to decide whether they want to help the team or not, but given that was just a squad list, it doesn't make any difference to us, really."

Also Read - FIFA World Cup 2018: England Look To Carry Momentum Against Panama

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