England stars want under-appreciated Gareth Southgate to stay on, insists Anthony Gordon... after the Three Lions boss suggested he will leave if they don't win the Euros

Gareth Southgate has the support of England’s players to remain as manager beyond the European Championship.

On the day the Three Lions boss revealed he will likely leave his post should the team not win the tournament, Anthony Gordon insisted Southgate is under-appreciated and should stay in charge.

England trained at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld here in Jena on Tuesday and spirits were high during a session that included Luke Shaw for the first time after his hamstring lay-off.

But Southgate’s future was the hot topic earlier in the day after he told German publication Bild: ‘If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here anymore.’

The 53-year-old’s contract expires in December and the expectation is that this will be his last major finals. Not that Gordon and others want that to be the case, as the Newcastle winger declared: ‘From a selfish point, I would want him to stay. I love working with him and his staff.

‘From my youth journey with England, the way they have transitioned the whole set-up from youth to senior level has been absolutely amazing, and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves.’

Southgate is mulling over his selection ahead of Sunday’s Group C opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen. 

Gordon, having recovered from an ankle issue, is one of those vying for inclusion after he started Friday’s 1-0 defeat by Iceland at Wembley.

And the 23-year-old said: ‘I’m ready, more than ready. I’d love to start, but I’ll be ready no matter what. What I‘m asked to do, I’ll be ready.

‘I thought I did all right (on Friday). I hadn’t touched the ball for four weeks, so I felt a bit rusty, especially around the final third. 

'I made a couple of mistakes I wouldn’t normally do, but it is better doing it then rather than in a tournament.’

Southgate will pick two widemen from Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jarrod Bowen, Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze.

And Gordon said: ‘A few people have said the squad has never been so competitive in terms of everyone is in form and everyone has come here in a really good place. There is definitely competition for places. Everyone is going to be at their best to try and play.’