World Cup: Yorkshireman Rose hoping to reap his reward with England

Danny Rose is open to his family joining him at the World Cup and 'fine' with his role in Gareth Southgate's squad.
England manager Gareth Southgate and Danny Rose during Sundays World Cup match against Panama at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.England manager Gareth Southgate and Danny Rose during Sundays World Cup match against Panama at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
England manager Gareth Southgate and Danny Rose during Sundays World Cup match against Panama at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.

The 27-year-old spoke candidly beforehand about his fears of racism at the finals, explaining how he had no faith in the justice system and did not want to be worried about loved ones regarding “racism and anything else that may happen”.

But the Tottenham left-back’s first trip to Russia is panning out better than expected.

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“I’d have to check hotel prices first,” Doncaster-born Rose said, when asked about whether his family would now come to the World Cup.

“I just want to get in the team and then after that I’d be open.

“I’d definitely be open now to having my family out here, so let’s just hope we win on Thursday and then we beat whoever we play in the next round and we’ll see.”

Former Leeds United youngster Rose has been blown away by the quietness of England’s Repino base and the “amazing weather” in Russia, with plans afoot to visit nearby St Petersburg.

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A number of players recently spent their recovery day in the city with family members – a time when the left-back enjoyed a different type of downtime.

“We’ve had family days where we’ve had a day off and the gaffer has allowed people, families to come to the hotel or we can go to our families’ hotel,” Rose said.

“When people have had their families around, yeah, it has been difficult.

“There’s a few of us here without families here so we’ve not had much to do and it’s been a bit difficult, but I’ve got three weeks just to dedicate my life to England and what we’re trying to do here.

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“I am comfortable in not having my family here. I’m fine, I’m not on the verge of breaking down or anything.

“So, I’m fine and hopefully there’s another two-and-a-half more weeks until the final and it’s not a long time. I’ll be able to manage.”

Rose is enjoying the camp more than Euro 2016, despite having so far only played a peripheral role.

Behind Ashley Young in the pecking order, the left-back came off the bench against Panama and may get his chance to start Thursday’s final Group G match against Belgium.

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“Before the Tunisia game, I went up to Youngy and said ‘good luck, you deserve this and keep doing what you’ve done at United all season’,” Rose said.

“I’ve been sat on the bench, waiting to take my chance if I get one and I’ve been fine.

“I’ve trained hard, I’ll keep training hard and there’s a large group of us who aren’t playing who have kept the intensity in training and we’ve kept on pushing each other. It’s been great.”

Rose’s close relationship with manager Gareth Southgate has also helped, with the pair bonding as the left-back recovered from his knee injury at St George’s Park.

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“If you look at all the games he’s been in charge and I’ve been here, he’s got me on the pitch one way or another,” the 27-year-old added.

“I know how the manager feels about me and he’s honest. There’s no beating around the bush.

“I’ve got so much respect for him and it’s not easy to take that I’m not playing, but things are done here now where you play if you deserve to play. You’re in the squad if you deserve to be in the squad. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“If I was in the starting line-up for the first game against Tunisia, I would have been over the moon, it would have been a dream, but I would have to look at myself and think ‘do I really deserve this after the season I’ve had?’

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“I’ve got no arguments. He’s spoken to me about why I am not playing, so it probably is a bit easier having the relationship I have got with the manager.”

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford would happily pocket three points and a clean sheet if Belgium decide to take it easy in Kaliningrad, insisting there is no chance of the Three Lions dialling down their own intensity.

The World Cup Group G rivals are already through to the last 16 and Thursday will see them squabbling over first and second place, rather than anything more dramatic.

Projections suggest the team which finishes runner-up would enjoy a more gentle sequence of knockout fixtures – a prospect which the Belgians are reportedly keen on, particularly as they would also play their first knockout match in Moscow, where they are based.

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England, though, appear more bullish about the fixture and goalkeeper Pickford sees no need for split priorities.

“If that’s how they feel it will make my job easier,” the Everton keeper said. “If they don’t want to score they won’t have any shots. We’re ready for them and we’re ready to win the game. We want to finish top of the group.”

Brazil or Germany are shaping up as nightmare quarter-final possibilities for the team which takes top spot, but Pickford is ready for all-comers.

“It doesn’t matter who we might play next because to get as far as you can, to get to the final, you’re going to have to face these top teams,” he said.