World Cup 2018: ‘England head for Russia with a rare sense of serenity’

Southgate has grown visibly into his role as England manager following his appointment in the wake of the 67-day Sam Allardyce debacle that followed Hodgson’s resignation at the end of Euro 2016.

He has talked about learning the art of “calm leadership” from Euro ’96 manager Terry Venables; Southgate’s players will not be in danger from crockery but he exerts authority through respect for his methods and personality.

During his 57-cap career, Southgate also played under Glenn Hoddle at the France ’98 World Cup, Kevin Keegan at Euro 2000 and was in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

He has avoided the pre-tournament drama that befell the likes of Hoddle, when Paul Gascoigne trashed his room after his 1998 exclusion, and the farce of the Capello Index in South Africa in 2010, when the then England manager became involved in a ratings website that could have bizarrely ended with him providing data on his own players.

And Southgate is not the “yes man” of some perceptions. He initially declined the chance to take over as caretaker manager after Hodgson’s departure, waiting until he felt the time was right, and while he has never been seen to rant, he is well aware of the power of well-chosen words.

He rightly bridles as the lazy “too nice” tag that is often attached to him. You do not have the career Southgate has had without inner steel and a single-minded streak.

Indeed his finest soundbite came after England lost their 2002 World Cup quarter-final to Brazil in Shizuoka. Southgate, reflecting on Eriksson’s oratory, said England “needed Winston Churchill but got Iain Duncan Smith”.

Importantly, he has removed any excuse culture, giving short shrift to a perceived issue experienced by England teams at previous tournaments.

The ill-fated 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa featured players complaining of boredom behind the gates of ‘Camp Capello’ at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus in Rustenburg.

“I think it is sad, nonsense and a big red herring,” said Southgate, brutally dismissing the notion boredom at their Repino base this time around could contribute to failure.

“My old physio at Aston Villa used to say that only boring people got bored.

“There is an energy in the group, there is always something going on. Previously the issue may have been cultural.

“Pressure is what you perceive it to be and is influenced by what you read and watch. We had some guys in from the Marines who had lost limbs. What is the pressure on us?

“We’re going to a World Cup, the highlight of everyone’s career. We are mates going away to play in a World Cup. It’s fantastic.”

The proof will only come with results in Russia and that judgement is about to be delivered – but again the signs, at this stage, are good.