Ex-England boss tells Gareth Southgate to play 'world's best' - 'It'll be frowned upon'

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Gareth Southgate has been given some tactical advice (Image: Getty)

Sam Allardyce has urged Gareth Southgate to drop Harry Kane for Ivan Toney ahead of England's Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Slovakia. The ex-Three Lions boss branded Toney 'the best in the world' at what he does and claimed England would catch teams off guard by playing a target man up top.

Southgate's side have made an inauspicious start to the Euros, registering just one win in their opening three matches and scoring just twice.

Fans have been urging the former Middlesborough manager to make wholesale changes to the line-up, but few have asked for as bold a shake-up as Allardyce is suggesting.

Related articles Kane ‘making exception’ underlined clear England message after Lineker row Rooney pulls no punches in Southgate rant after 'killing' two England stars

"I'd change Harry Kane for Ivan Toney," Allardyce, 69, said on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast. "The last team to win at Manchester City was Brentford. The manager needs to say to the players, 'If I put Ivan Toney on, it goes to him'.

function loadOvpScript(){let el=document.createElement('script');el.setAttribute('src','https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=114291&playerApiId=v114291');document.getElementById('ovp-primis').appendChild(el)} window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v114291"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}});window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',()=>{setTimeout(()=>{if(typeof flagTcfLoaded!=='undefined'&&flagTcfLoaded===!0){loadOvpScript() ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP flagTcfLoaded',new Date())}else{document.addEventListener("tcfLoaded",()=>{loadOvpScript() ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP tcfLoaded',new Date())})}},1500)})

"So when it goes to him, Foden goes in there, Saka goes in there and Bellingham goes in there. It goes up, [Toney] wins it, he flicks it on and it goes in behind and those three are there [to get on the end of it].

"We're attacking the box and we're putting them under pressure... even if he doesn't win it, the opposition centre half isn't going to head it more than six yards so it's fallen to the likes of Foden... it's a different way of playing."

Allardyce wants Ivan Toney to replace Harry Kane up top (Image: Getty)

Well aware of his reputation as a hoof-ball manager, Allardyce added: "Everybody will say Sam Allardyce wants to play direct again blah blah blah, but it's a great way of playing to change the shape, and by the time the opposition try and suss it out it's too late, we've have scored a goal.

"[Toney] is almighty in today's world, which is frowned upon a little bit, by being the strongest or one of the strongest players in any aerial battle [he's the best] in world football I'd say. If you play off him, he can hold it up or flick it on. This is what Brentford did to Man City. Every time it went up to Toney there were two people running in behind."

Toney, 28, is yet to feature at the Euros and isn't expected to get much of a look in given the fact it appears he's Southgate's third-choice centre forward, with both Kane and Ollie Watkins, who got a run-out against Denmark last week, ahead of him in the pecking order.

Toney, who has a mere four England caps to his name, missed over half of last season after serving an eight-month suspension due to betting offences. He's been linked with a summer move away from Brentford, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all reportedly mulling over approaches.

The former Newcastle and Peterborough United ace has 72 goals in 141 Brentford games. In the 2022/23 season, he bagged 20 league goals, a tally bettered only by Kane and Erling Haaland.

Allardyce, meanwhile, has been out of work since leaving Leeds at the end of the 2022/2023 season. He was appointed England boss in July 2016 but lasted just two months in the job before being dismissed following accusations of malpractice, with Southgate replacing him at the helm.

SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Related articles Gareth Southgate urged to change 'calculated' England strategy at Euro 2024 Euro 2024 star 'fights fan in bar' while wearing country's kit on day off England rocked by Trippier injury as Southgate draws up 'makeshift' solution