Watkins Reveals What Southgate Told Him on the England Bench As Mourinho Fears Exposed
In a dramatic late-night match, Ollie Watkins came off the bench to score a stunning winner for England against the Netherlands in their Euro 2024 semi-final encounter. In a post-match interview on the England YouTube channel, Watkins shed light on what Gareth Southgate said to him before bringing him on to seal the win.
The Aston Villa striker reflected on his nervy wait to come on and claimed he thought he might not make an appearance on the pitch, following Saka’s goal against Switzerland. He revealed, "I thought we weren’t going to come on because Saka scored, I thought Jose… ‘Sit back down’. But it was a blessing that he didn’t, and we got our opportunity to make the difference."
However, it appears Watkins had one eye on a viral clip from Tottenham Hotspur boss José Mourinho, who famously told Ola Solbakken to return to the Roma bench in the latter stages of a match. The moment added a touch of humor to Watkins’ emotional outburst as he celebrated the match-winning goal.
In addition to Mourinho’s infamous quote, Watkins opened up about his wild goal celebration. When asked if he would follow through on his promise to celebrate with teammates Deano and Dunky, Watkins quipped, "I did make a promise to Deano and Dunky that if I scored, I would run over and celebrate with them. That’s why I was saying to everyone, ‘Come over and celebrate together as a team on the bench.’
Meanwhile, England manager Gareth Southgate handed Watkins his marching orders moments before his winning strike. In the dying embers of the game, he simply instructed the striker to go on and win it for the Three Lions. Watkins confessed, "He just said, ‘Go on and win it for us.’ And I think we’ve done that."
After the match, Watkins took time to relive his unforgettable goal-scoring experience. "I remember making a promise to Deano and Dunky, and that if I scored, I would celebrate with them. I felt a bit left out not being on the pitch and making an impact. Me celebrating with them, I’ve been sitting on the bench, experiencing this, so I wanted to make it special for everyone. It was nice that they all jumped on the pitch and could be part of it."
Topics: England, Euro 2024, Ollie Watkins, Gareth Southgate, Aston Villa, Netherlands, Football, Jose Mourinho
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