Inside Gareth Southgate's toughest 24 hours as England manager: SAMI MOKBEL reveals how he broke the bad news to his seven axed Euros stars 

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When Gareth Southgate ushered his final 26-man squad into a meeting room inside the plush lodge at England’s temporary HQ here at Tottenham’s training facility, he’d have done so with the weight of the world off his shoulders.

It’s the 24 hours he has been dreading ever since naming his 33-man provisional squad a month ago. Probably longer.

It’s tense. It’s emotional. The elephant in the room.

It started on Wednesday evening when Southgate summoned James Maddison for a chat. The Tottenham midfielder would have known what was coming.

That, of course, wouldn’t have made it any easier to accept as Maddison was informed his services were no longer required and he was free to leave the camp.

Gareth Southgate faced a tough 24 hours telling players they would be left out of his squad

Declan Rice consoled James Maddison after the Tottenham star wasn't included in the squad

It is the first time that Southgate will go into a major tournament without Harry Maguire (left)

There had been early indications that Maddison would have been involved against Iceland on Friday night when England play their final warm-up game before departing for Germany on Monday. But in informing Maddison that he had failed to make the cut, Southgate, like he did with all the casualties, explained that he was free to depart.

Maddison was disappointed. Indeed, his social media post on Thursday afternoon said as much. ‘Devastated doesn’t quite cut it. I still thought there would be a space for me in a 26-man squad as I feel I bring something different and had been a mainstay in this whole qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 but the manager has made the decision and I have to respect that,’ he wrote.

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As news started to filter through to the squad; Declan Rice was one of the first at the scene to console Maddison. ‘I love you,’ Rice whispered into Maddison’s ear as they embraced.

The Arsenal midfielder wasn’t the only one to lend a shoulder to cry on. Southgate’s lot are a close-knit bunch; that shines through during testing moments like these.

It wasn’t long ago that they were sat together watching the recently released BBC documentary on Wayne Rooney’s Euro 2004 campaign. ‘We’re a close team and I think everybody — players, staff — has felt the last couple of days,’ Southgate explained.

‘We knew this decision was looming. We still felt we’ve been able to make better decisions in terms of injuries and availability by giving ourselves more time.

‘But of course that means you’ve got this difficult scenario where people are having to wait for bad news. I didn’t want to keep the guys any longer than I needed to. I didn’t want it to go into Friday.

‘That would have been really difficult. It wouldn’t have allowed time for conversations, wouldn’t have allowed the players the opportunity to go quietly if they wanted to and to be with their families. We won’t have got all of that right because it’s impossible. When you get bad news you will always have a view on it. Of course the players will have belief in themselves as well, to offer something that we don’t have. I completely understand that as well.’

Another of Rice's  close friends, Jack Grealish, was also told he would be left out of the squad

Jarell Quansah (L) and Jarrad Branthwaite (C) were also amongst the players that were omitted

Curtis Jones, who hasn't made a senior appearance for England, was left out of the final squad

All of a sudden, Maddison’s bags were packed and he was off home. Football comes at you fast. There are concerns at Tottenham over how this might impact Maddison heading into the summer.

He is a confident character but these sorts of blows are hard to recover from. Yet with all that said, there was a sense among the squad that the likelihood all along was that Maddison would not make the cut.

If his team-mates sensed it, then you can bet your bottom dollar that Maddison, for all his confidence and exuberance, would have feared the worst, too.

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Next on Southgate’s list was to explain to Curtis Jones that he would not be included in the final party — a far easier conversation for the England boss, yet not one he took lightly.

‘I adapt my approach to those conversations according to who I am speaking to,’ revealed Southgate. ‘I think every player knew there was a certain amount of jeopardy if I’m frank. The younger ones, we’d had some of those conversations before they arrived — that this is the likely plan but come in, have the experience. So for them it was different.

‘For some of the others they’ve been with us a long time, big characters within the group and clearly when you’ve worked with guys for a while you know there’s a different dynamic to it, different level of expectation, different relationship between us.

‘And you accept that can be damaged short term or long term. And I understand that but I have to make strong decisions. I’ve never backed away from that and I never will.’

Like Maddison, Liverpool midfielder Jones was out of the door before England started their final training session ahead of Friday night's friendly.

Goalkeeper James Trafford wasn't named in the squad but would have expected to miss out

Maguire (left) had been working his way back to full fitness when he suffered a vital set-back

Jarell Quansah was also informed that he would not make the squad. But the Liverpool centre-back remains with England due to the defensive issues facing Southgate ahead of the game against Iceland.

Southgate woke on Thursday morning knowing he had four more players to inform. As Mail Sport predicted on Thursday afternoon, there had been emerging doubts over Harry Maguire’s availability as he continued to struggle with a calf injury that has sidelined him since April.

This, for Southgate, would have been one of the toughest conversations he’s had as England manager. Maguire is constantly a source of strength for his team and Southgate has not been to a major tournament without his stalwart centre back. He has to get used to being without him now.

‘I am devastated not to have been selected to play at the Euros this summer,’ Maguire posted. ‘Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to overcome an injury to my calf. Maybe I pushed myself too hard, to try and make it. Simply, I am absolutely gutted.

‘For me, representing England is the highest honour. It means everything. If I can’t help the team as a player, I will support them as a fan — along with the rest of the country. Go and win it boys.’

Jack Grealish was next on the agenda. The Manchester City star went into Thursday's training session with a slight chance of making the final party as Southgate waited to see if Anthony Gordon, who has been struggling with an ankle injury, would emerge unscathed. Like Maddison and Maguire, Grealish was bracing himself for bad news. There’s been enough indications publicly and privately that he was on the cusp of missing out.

Southgate was impressed by Grealish’s encouraging cameo against Bosnia on Monday. Indeed, within the England camp on Thursday, Grealish’s omission is understood to have caused the biggest stir. Players — many of whom believe Grealish has something to offer the team — quickly arrived to console him.

Grealish is one of the biggest personalities in England's set-up and his presence will be missed

But a disappointing club campaign for Man City marked the player's card at the end of term

Grealish, as you can imagine, is the life and soul of the camp. Time will tell if it is the right decision on and off the pitch. Once more Rice was on hand to share the love, particularly with Grealish, with whom he has grown particularly close to.

‘They’re grown men, all of them wanted to be on the plane,’ said Rice. ‘I’m best friends with Jack and Madders and I’ve spent most of my time with them this week. It’s football. It happens. The manager has to make harsh calls.’

Jarrad Branthwaite and James Trafford make up the seven casualties, both of whom would have expected to miss the cut.

But it is Maguire’s absence that appears the most seismic. An end of an era — something which many fans previously have called for.

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You have to be careful what you wish for sometimes. Yet, asked if his decision to axe Maguire was the toughest, Southgate replied: ‘Not the hardest because to do Jack and Madders as well and Hendo (Jordan Henderson) and Marcus (Rashford) given the number of games we have had and the time we have spent together (was just as hard).’

You may feel that Southgate should be used to this by his fourth tournament. But as he explained: ‘It certainly isn’t easier. I think you put yourself in the shoes of a player. You put yourself in the shoes of a parent. You understand that for these players this is a devastating moment.

‘It can be career-changing. So you give the decision making process all the attention it deserves and try and deliver it as humanly as possible.

‘Then you have to accept the person receiving could take it in any number of ways. I have to say all of them were really respectful.

‘Last week was a really good training week but we knew we had a couple of really difficult days coming up, there was going to be anxiety. All the staff felt that. We are such a tight group. The medics are working with the players to get them ready and are really invested in it. They have known these players so long.

‘Everybody is feeling that today. I didn’t want to keep the players waiting until Friday. I think that would have been a mess, really. It wouldn’t have been fair on the players that we’ve released, wouldn’t have been fair on the players that were waiting to have confirmation that they were in.

Southgate appears to have confidence that his selection decisions will be proved correct

‘We knew when we named a 33 there would be a period of a nice camp, and then there was going to be a couple of days where there would be a lot of anxiety and a difficult couple of days for us all.’

Yet after the turmoil of the last 24 hours, you get the impression that Southgate believes his decisions will be proved correct, adding: ‘I’ve always said I feel loyalty to players because that’s what helps to build a team. Equally, why was that? Because we felt they were the best players in those positions, they had proven themselves. Now some of those have been ruled out and others have come through. Going right the way back to when we put Jordan Pickford in goal, Harry Maguire into our defence or Bukayo Saka on the wing, it is because they emerged as players we felt were right to put into the team at that time.

‘That’s what we’ve done over the last few months. Some of that has been accelerated by the availability of others but they’ve gone in and proven themselves either with us, their clubs or both.’

And with that Southgate’s hardest day was done.