England Given 1-8 Odds to Win Group A in Euro 2020 Qualifying
By Gary Gowers in Soccer News
Updated: April 6, 2020 at 1:12 pm EDTPublished:
- England are massive favorites to win Group A in Euro 2020 qualifying
- English is already guaranteed a play-off place for 2020 Finals
- Southgate’s young Lions on the rise
Gareth Southgate has transformed the fortunes of the English national team. It started with the restructuring of the set-up at the elite level and, following a fine 2018 World Cup, has restored the faith of the English soccer-loving public.
Having failed to deliver at a major tournament since 1996, and not having won the World Cup since 1966, England went to Russia 2018 with only limited expectations.
Happy birthday, @ericdier 🎉
The man who scored the decisive spot-kick as @England won a #WorldCup penalty shoot-out for the first time in their history at Russia 2018 🏴 pic.twitter.com/tuI9he3m66
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) January 15, 2019
An unhealthy habit of failing to progress beyond the group stages had shattered the confidence of players, officials, and fans alike but, guided by Southgate, they went within a whisker of making it to last summer’s final.
Euro 2020 Qualifying Group A Winner Odds
| Team | Odds to Win Euro 2020 Group A |
|---|---|
| England | -800 |
| Czech Republic | +850 |
| Montenegro | +1800 |
| Bulgaria | +2500 |
| Kosovo | +6600 |
*Odds taken on 03/19/19
Odds of -800 reflect England’s fine World Cup and their current FIFA ranking of 5.
Their Russian adventure has also helped restore their reputation in world football but, more importantly, has given Southgate’s young squad the self-belief that they are good enough to win something.
End of the Golden Generation
For too many years, the England squad was not only weighed down with expectation but also with the legacy of failure, with almost every major tournament in the 21st century ending in varying levels of disappointment.
England’s golden generation take to the touchline pic.twitter.com/ID0WjASB0E
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 11, 2019
All that has changed now and with the so-called “Golden Generation” now either retired or no longer in the squad, Southgate has put together a young squad that will see the 2020 European Championships as a genuine opportunity for a trophy.
Nations League Semi-Finalists
They have already qualified for the inaugural Nations League Finals next summer, where they will face the Netherlands in one of the semi-finals. By winning their Nations League qualifying group, England have also earned themselves a playoff opportunity if they don’t make the top two of Group A, but we don’t expect this to be necessary.
https://twitter.com/AwayDayFooty/status/1064256188198596608
Qualifying for tournaments tends not to be the problem for England – doing well when they get there has been the issue – and while the Czech Republic could prove tough opponents, we can’t see Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Kosovo offering too much resistance.
Czech Mate at the Euros?
The Czechs have not had a great time in the World Cup – they haven’t qualified for the finals since 2006 – but they do have a better record in the European Championships, where they qualified for France 2016 and made it to the quarterfinals in 2012.
"My dream goes on – my dream is to retire with a trophy in my hands… there’s a long way to go but with performances like that, we can compete."
Let's make it happen, @PetrCech 🙌
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 15, 2019
A technically adept side with players who perform in the top leagues in Europe – like Arsenal’s Petr Cech – the Czechs are good enough to trouble Southgate’s men, even if they are unlikely to pip England to the top of the group.
Outsiders May Spring a Surprise
Montenegro, as a relatively new country in UEFA terms, are relatively untried, so may spring a surprise, but despite Bulgaria once being a force on the international stage, they are no longer of that level.
So, while we expect England to win the group, we wouldn’t discourage anyone who wanted a piece of the +850 on offer for the Czech Republic, as it represents decent value.
Pick: England (-800)
Our Euro 2020 Qualifying Coverage:
Sports Writer
Once just a sports fanatic, fan-turned-writer Gary Gowers has been featured on European television and radio networks to discuss several professional football clubs. His work can be found in an assortment of publications like The Metro, MyFootballWriter.com, and BBC Radio Norfolk.
