On Germany
How do you think Germany’s performances compare to the other nations who were regarded amongst the favourites at the tournament so far?
I think Germany have been pretty solid. Scotland froze in our first game, so they made it rather easy for the Germans. Against Hungary it was a bit harder, but we passed that test.
Switzerland created some problems for us. If it wasn’t for a last-minute equaliser, we wouldn’t have won the group, but the draw was a more than fair result after dominating most of the game.
We had a good test against Denmark and got a bit fortunate with a couple of decisions. I didn’t agree with the handball at all, but it was given. We’ve seen how stubborn Denmark can be, so it was pleasing to beat them.
Have we been better than most teams? I think we have. Spain have probably been the best side so far, but other than that, no one has impressed me that much. The big tests are coming now, and Spain will give us a great opportunity to show how good we are.
Kai Havertz, has he answered any doubts you had about his ability to lead the line for Germany at this tournament?
The doubts about Havertz are similar to the doubt a lot of us have about the entire German team – we’re just not sure how good he is and how good we are. There isn’t a player in the squad that divides opinions as much as Kai Havertz.
I read a piece about Havertz today. One guy said he's been absolutely outstanding with the way he leads the line and the other said he's not doing enough.
So far, he’s done OK. I won't blame him for missing the chance against Denmark because Musiala was brought down, and he would have squared the ball for him to score a tap in. I won’t be too harsh on him missing that chance, and he took the penalty really well.
I think he's in form now. He looks like he’s in a place where he could play a big role for the team in the coming games.
If Havertz could put everything together, do you think he could be one of the most gifted players in the world or one of the most graceful to watch?
I think Kai Havertz definitely has the potential to be one of the best players in the world if he can tidy up parts of his game. I think we could see some of that potential realised at this tournament, especially if he can do the business against Spain.
He's capable of producing something where everybody goes, wow. That's the kind of player he is and that is why you've got to give him a bit of leeway and a bit of peace sometimes.
Jamal Musiala, he’s one that got away in that he represented England at youth level, but from what you’ve seen of Southgate’s England, would he even know what to do with a player as gifted as the Bayern Munich star?
I don't know if it’s fair for me to say if Gareth Southgate would be able to get the best out of Jamal Musiala if he played for England, and, thankfully, I don’t have to because he plays for Germany.
He would have thought long and hard about who he wanted to represent and play for.
I can imagine that if he’s been watching England at this tournament, I'm pretty sure he will think he’s made the right decision to play for Germany. I'd be very surprised if he didn't.
On Germany vs Spain
Spain along with the Austrians and maybe the Swiss have been then most impressive team so far at the tournament.
They didn't concede a goal in the group stage, and the only goal they have conceded was an own goal, so they haven't been beaten by another player so far.
In the first game against Croatia, the Croatians had a lot of chances, and they missed a penalty as well.
You can get at Spain. Georgia were unlucky not to score another one against them when they went 1-0 up. I think they would have done with better decision making, so there are weaknesses in the team, but with the ball you've got to say they're fantastic.
The two wingers in Yamal and Nico Williams are brilliant to watch. It’s a huge test against the best team in the tournament.
If Germany were to pass that test, how would you rate their chances of lifting the championship?
Well, we would be a step closer to becoming European champions, but there is still an awful long way to go, and we will be coming up against one of France or Belgium in the semi-final to get to the final. We’ve done it before, of course. At the World Cup in 2014. we had to beat France, Brazil and then Argentina in the final.
Whether we are good enough to do it this time we will have to wait and see. I still have got question marks about the team and I'm not 100% convinced that we are as stable as people say we are. One thing is for sure, we will have to win it the hard way.
On England
England have been so stodgy at this tournament. What are the reasons for it and what has the reaction been like in Germany towards the team?
I think everybody in Germany is disappointed watching England because they've got the highest market value squad at the tournament. The value of the players is something ridiculous like one and a half billion. You've got all these super, super players and then you play like you do.
With all that talent, England have been the worst team in the tournament so far. The good news is that you’re still there – you haven’t been sent home yet like 10 or 12 other teams.
Teams still need to beat you, even though you’re not playing well, and nobody has managed to do that yet. Usually, when a team plays badly and wins, it's a very good sign. At some stage things must improve. I think changes are required, but after Bellingham and Kane scored yesterday, I don’t think that Gareth Southgate will make many.
Guehi is suspended. There'll be another centre-back coming in, but I don't think Southgate will make big changes like a lot of people are calling for.
When I watch England, I don’t see a team. If you look at Switzerland, if you look at Austria even, the Spanish, there's people making runs to create space for the players. England aren’t doing that. The only player running is the man in possession. England lack options when they are in possession, not enough people show for the ball.
I don't think the squad has a hierarchy where players know where they are and who's calling the shots. England have got too many big players who think they should be the top dog. They look like a collection of individuals rather than a team.
So far, they scraped through. It doesn't matter how you get through, but if England don't start playing better at some stage, then their tournament will be over in the next round because the Swiss will test them.
Is this England team guilty of thinking it’s better than it is? It certainly feels like that when you watch them.
Some of these players may very well be guilty of thinking they are better than they actually are because English players always get hyped.
English teams have been very successful, but you mustn't forget what the success of those teams is based on and its very rarely exclusively English players. Foden is a brilliant player, but he is a brilliant player because he's got Rodri and De Bruyne next to him.
When you look at other players, Bellingham, for example. He is a huge talent, but the fact of the matter is that since the Champions League quarterfinal he hasn't performed. He hasn’t been seen in the Champions League when it really matters. Maybe it shouldn't come as such a surprise that Bellingham isn’t performing that well at this tournament.
Bellingham wasn't the reason that Real Madrid won the Champions League. He played his part in the early rounds, but they won it because of Lunin, because of Vini Junior, and because of Toni Kroos.
Sometimes the English tend to hype their players up, which is fair enough, but it doesn't always match the reality.
Did Gareth Southgate have his lucky pants on at this tournament? England are on the right side of the draw, have been below par in every single game, would have been out but for one moment of magic from Bellingham…is he a very lucky manager to be where he is with his country?
You make your own luck in football and in life. England don’t have to justify how they progressed, they just had to progress. Long throw, flick on, goal. A brilliant finish from Bellingham.
In extra time, you felt that Slovakia wouldn’t have the stamina to match England, so it wasn’t surprising that they scored the winner pretty quickly.
I read today that Gareth Southgate has won more knockout games than all the other England managers combined since 1966. He's been in charge for nine years now, you've got to give him credit.The thing is, you don't go to a tournament to get to the last eight, especially when you're favoured by the draw. I feel if there's not dramatic improvement and dramatic changes, which I don't think he'll make, then the next round might be the end of the road for Gareth Southgate and England.
When you consider the players that he has to work with, anything other than the semis or the final in an underachievement for England.
There's no gimmies in world football, we know that. At the last two or three major international tournaments, England have been among the favourites to win them, and they haven’t managed to do it.
If I was English, my concern would be where the improvement is going to come from, because I haven’t seen anything from these players or manager that gives me confidence that this team is going to start performing all of a sudden.
Bellingham popped up with the goal that rescued England. What have you made of the hype around the player and his post-goal celebration where he mouthed “who else”. Is Bellingham in danger of believing his own fairy tales?
I think there is definitely a danger that Jude Bellingham is starting to believe his own fairy tales.
There was his celebration and then when he walked past the Slovakia bench, he did something that offended them. He said afterwards that it was a private joke aimed at his friends who were sat near them. I don't know if that’s true or not, but I think he's got to be careful because in the first game he ran into Kostić after he won the tackle, and he was lucky not to get booked for that. He's got to leave them things out because there's always someone bigger than you and the other players will watch his antics.
I think he's got to be very careful because the one thing you shouldn't do is disrespect your opponents. Against Slovakia he made his excuses, but it wouldn't have been the first time that something has happened with him. Somebody has to tell him it's needless and he should cut it out.
England can’t get the midfield balance right. Is it unforgivable that Gareth Southgate went into this tournament without a clear understanding of how to configure his engine room?
I don’t think now is the moment to forensically look at Gareth Southgate’s midfield, the introspection should come when you’re on the plane going home. Afterwards, you can ask whether his decisions were right or wrong.
To try Trent there and to try Gallagher there, who I never thought was the answer, even though it's not his fault that things did work out, is strange.
Rice needs to be more of a commanding figure in that midfield. People compare him with Rodri, but the difference between the two players is night and day. Rice needs to organise and give the team structure, but he doesn't do it. His positional sense is poor.
His job is to protect and lead, and the more I see of Rice, the less I think he can play in that position as a holding midfielder. You need a strategic thinker in that position, and I don't think he is that.
Outside of the midfield, it doesn’t help that Luke Shaw hasn't played for months. How a manager can go to a tournament without another left back when you know your first choice might not be able to play in the group stages, or even in the knock-out rounds baffles me.
Put yourself in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shoes. How are you feeling – I think he’s been massively let down by his manager – what do you think?
I don’t think that Trent Alexander-Arnold has been let down by Gareth Southgate.
Against Serbia he gave a couple of balls away – he was a bit sloppy, and the first Serbian chance came from when he's given the ball away 25 yards from goal.
Obviously, Mainoo has done well since he’s been given a chance, Gallagher found it hard. When you come into a team that doesn't really function; a team where the players looks like they are playing for themselves, it's not easy.
Trent’s made a few mistakes, but he's had his chance. It'll be tough for him to get back in the team now. Perhaps Southgate will consider putting Walker into central defence for the next game and play Trent at right back, but it’s probably not going to happen.
Trent’s had his chance, and these things can happen sometimes. You could say he's been unfortunate. It's one of the things. It didn't work out, move on.
What are your thoughts on Harry Kane. It seems churlish to say this given the goals he scored last season but is he a player that England would be better off without starting as a first-choice striker. Does he get in the way of England’s best players because of his desire to drop deep and get involved?
I said a week ago that if I was working for Bayern and watching Kane’s performances for England, I would be having cold sweats. You could see that England looked a lot more dangerous when Watkins came on – he had a couple of chances within five minutes because he makes runs. Kane doesn’t make runs. I’m sure he would love to be able to make the same runs as Watkins, but he can’t.
Obviously, Kane is a player who likes to drop in, but in the first game against Serbia, he had two touches in the first half. He's very static. If your centre forward doesn’t have that pace, then you make things more difficult for your team because your game becomes too predictable. You need your focal point to do more, you need them to make runs because it opens up spaces for other players to exploit. England’s game is so static because Kane is so static.
If you’re looking for a player that can score a tap-in or a close-range header, Kane does a job, but if that is all you offer as England’s main striker and captain, then I think some of the strikers from the past twenty or thirty odd years would fancy lacing up their boots and having a go. It’s not enough.
The fact that England are still in the tournament has nothing to do with Harry Kane.
Bellingham got his goal, Toney flicked things on for Kane. He needs to do something at this tournament – he hasn’t done anything in four games other than put away a couple of sitters.
He's the biggest earner in Munich. He's got three years left on his contract.
If I was watching him as a Bayern official, I would be very, very concerned about his ability to be the main man at this level.
What chances do you give England of progressing past Switzerland?
England have got every chance of beating Switzerland, but they have to play better at some stage because they've been very fortunate to win their group. If they hadn't won the group, they would have faced Germany. We may still see the game in the final, and it wouldn't be a bad final.
At some stage, they have to play better. Can I see that happening? Sometimes you only need a spark to get things happening in a tournament.
As I said, the most important thing is that England are still there until someone knocks them out. It's alright saying the English are poor. You still have to score one more goal than them over 90 minutes.
Even though England haven’t played well, it’s not an easy thing to beat them and nobody has managed to do that yet.
England has a good chance, but this will be the most difficult challenge that they have faced because the Swiss are a great team who I like a lot.
On Euro 2024
Who do you think have been the three most impressive players at the tournament so far?
Rodri and Nico Williams from Spain and the Georgian goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Has anything that you’ve seen surprised you in a good way?
I’ve been surprised by how well the smaller nations have played. We haven't seen any of the smaller teams take a hiding from the bigger nations.
Slovakia beat Belgium. Georgia got to the knock-out round. I’ve been impressed by the way Austria and Switzerland are playing.
I think it's a wide-open tournament. Obviously, a lot of big teams are still there. I wouldn't be surprised if you see one of Switzerland or Austria in the semis though.
Ralf Rangnick was a bit of a laughing stock when he was at Manchester United. Is what he’s doing with Austria prove that Rangnick wasn’t the problem at the club?
Ralf Rangnick wasn't the first manager to find life difficult after Alex Ferguson left. He was talking about the structure of the football, which needed to change. Ronaldo saying that he didn't even know he was a manager probably didn't help.I think he has showed what he can do with Austria, who have been a fantastic story.
They have a tough game against Turkey, but it’s a brilliant opportunity for them to go to the last eight and when you get that far, who knows what you can achieve.
Other Headlines
According to reports, Manchester United are considering a move for Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt. You watch a lot of Bayern, is he the solution to Manchester United’s defence problems? Do you think his game would suit the Premier League?
Matthijs de Ligt is a very physical defender who is good on the ball. I'm surprised that Bayern are considering letting him go because he was the club’s most reliable defender last season.
I'm very surprised to read that he might go, but I think he'd be a very good signing for Manchester United and I think he has the attributes to success in the Premier League.
Joshua Kimmich has been strongly linked with a move from Bayern this summer. A number of Premier League clubs are reportedly interested, including Liverpool. Have you heard anything about his future? Would you recommend that he has a crack at the Premier League while he is still in his prime?
I think Kimmich could definitely play in the Premier League. He only has one year left on his contract, so there could be an opportunity for him to try something different.
I think he said in an interview that there were only six teams he would consider joining, so you imagine the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool will be included within that.
The question is, what position will these clubs play him in? He finished the season playing for Bayern at right back, which is where he is playing for Germany, but we’ve also seen him change his position and play as a central midfielder for the last few years.
I think the jury is still out on whether he's a world class central midfielder.
His position is the only issue I can see with him. He will need to pick a club that has a clear plan for him.
Apparently, Newcastle are closing in on the signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. What kind of a role could you see him playing at the club?
Newcastle have got a few forwards, but I think with Calvert-Lewin would give them another option. Calvert-Lewin is a very physical player; very powerful.
He is a very good aerially. Depending on the price, I think he would be a good addition to Newcastle’s squad because a player like him is always a good option for when you have to mix up your game and play differently. I don’t think that he gets enough credit for his skills with the ball on the floor as well. I think he's a decent with the ball at his feet.
He would be a good option for Newcastle.
On Liverpool
What would be deemed a success in Arne Slot’s first season at Liverpool?
I think if he can get Liverpool into the top four, then that will be an acceptable first season in charge. It will be difficult for Liverpool to finish in the top four next season, because at times, the team really lacked goals (last season).
We will need to see what's happening with Salah. He was really the only player who always came up with the goods when the going got tough. Nunez did it at times, Diaz did it, Jota was injured a lot.
Other than Mo, there was nobody there who consistently scored enough goals, and we all know that he might be leaving the club this summer.
Slot is following in the biggest set of footsteps after Klopp’s departure. Replacing a legend will be a massive challenge for him and he will have to be his own man.
A top of four finish will be job done for him.
What are the main issues in the squad he needs to address this summer?
The most important job he has this summer will be to sort out the future of Mo Salah because he’s such a huge figure at the club. He is a player that is genuinely irreplaceable because of what he brings in terms of goals and his availability – I think in seven or eight years of being there, he has hardly missed a game, which is unheard of.
Every season he guarantees at least 20 plus goals. Bringing in a player that guarantee 20 goals isn’t easy to do for the recruitment team or the manager.
How important to Slot is it that Mo Salah stays this summer, or do you think the club should cash in? If so, who should replace him?
I don't know what Mo Salah will decide to do this summer. One thing is certain, after everything that he has given to the club as a player, regardless of how much Liverpool may need him, if he decides that this is the year he wants to try something else, then the club must respect his wishes and I think they will.
Liverpool have been good operators in the transfer market over the years, so I’m sure they will have a player in mind if he were to move on. Like I said, I don’ think that the club can replace him because he's been that good, but this is probably the last window where you can get good money for him.
The links to Saudi Arabia aren’t going anywhere. It’s been reported that he would like to go there, which I can understand. Now is probably as good a time as any to let him go because he's in his 30s.
There were times last year where you wondered if he was going to reach the heights we’ve seen from him again.
Whatever happens, he’ll be regarded as a son of Liverpool. He’s done so much for the football club. If he wants to go, they should let him go.
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Anthony Gordon. Would he be a good addition in your opinion Didi?
I think that Anthony Gordon would be a brilliant signing for Liverpool. Obviously, he had a hard time when he first came to Newcastle.
There was a few issues with the manager and with the fans, but he won them over, which is not an easy thing to do in Newcastle and the north east.
He's a brilliant player. I think he said somewhere, I'm not 100% on this, but I think he said his boyhood club was Liverpool and he was he was waxing lyrical about Steven Gerrard.I think it would be a great signing, Whether or not they can do it, is a different matter, because I don’t think Newcastle would want to let him go.
You made the move from Newcastle to Liverpool and lifted plenty of trophies. If Gordon wants to win things, would he have more opportunities to do that at Anfield?
There's a lot happening at Newcastle at the moment, so, obviously you need to see with financial fair play and how that’s going to be implemented, where Newcastle can go in terms of challenging the biggest clubs in the league.
How much will they be able to spend over the next few windows?
I would say that there's more chance of winning major trophies at Liverpool, but the gap is probably not as big as it was five or so years ago, especially since the new money has come into the club.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia wants to come to the Premier League according to reports. Would he be the perfect replacement for Mo Salah in your opinion?
I like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, I like him a lot. I read an interview and his dad said that they need to find a solution regarding his future this summer. Everything indicates that he will be leaving Napoli and that his time at the club is coming to an end.
It's a great story because nobody heard of him two or three years ago. He turned up at Napoli and wins a Scudetto playing some absolutely brilliant football in a breath-taking season for the club.
He’s been on an upward curve for the last few years. He was magnificent at this tournament. I loved seeing him on the same field with Ronaldo, who is his idol. He gave him a hug and they had a nice exchange after the game.
I think I saw a photo of Ronaldo opening a football school in Georgia, and he’s in it as a young kid.
He's a guy who makes people go to the ground. He’s a player that people will pay money to watch. When you walk to a ground on a Saturday, it’s players like him that people talk about; that people want to see. He gets bums off seats. He's a very humble guy. He'd be brilliant at Liverpool, and, if you’re talking about Salah replacements, then he’s probably as close to a perfect replacement that Liverpool could find.
