Cahill backs Southgate impact

Gary Cahill believes interim boss Gareth Southgate is the perfect man to get England back on track.

Following the departure of Sam Allardyce, Southgate has been put in charge for the upcoming fixtures against Malta and Slovenia, as well as next month’s qualifier with Scotland and the friendly with Spain.

English football currently appears in crisis as after crashing out in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 to Iceland, the Three Lions were as equally unimpressive in their 1-0 opening 2018 World Cup qualifying win in Slovakia.

Cahill and co are currently the 1.18 favourites to top Group F, with the Scots their nearest rivals at 9.00 and the Slovaks 11.00.

Rather than put undue pressure on the temporary boss, the FA have already said they will leave the 46-year-old to do the job before starting their search for a new head coach in the new year.

Southgate earned 57 England caps during his playing career and was selected for four major tournaments.

The boss was club captain for much of the time Cahill was coming through the Aston Villa academy and the defender knows just how good an influence he can be on both him and the squad.

The Chelsea star says it’s hard not to respect someone with Southgate’s pedigree and believes he is the right man to get the Three Lions back on track.

“I watched him many times there (Aston Villa) growing up and I’m familiar with his career, especially with England,” he said.

“He’s got many caps for his country, he’s very patriotic and he’s very familiar with the situation not just as a player but as manager of the U21s. “I’m looking forward to working under him, listening to him and taking on board his ideas and his plans now for moving forward.”