Kansas City (AFP) – England defender Dan Burn swapped his football boots for cowboy boots at a country music show as Thomas Tuchel’s men let their hair down following their opening World Cup win against Croatia. The players enjoyed a day off on Friday, and Burn was given the green light to attend an Ella Langley concert near their Kansas City training base, accompanied by captain Harry Kane.
“Yesterday we had a friends and family day so my wife flew over from Dallas so I got to spend the day with her and then last night Ella Langley was playing,” he told reporters on Saturday. “I like my country music so I had a cowboy hat on and cowboy boots on also, so luckily there’s no photos kicking about. I went and got some (boots) yesterday. I got kitted out and thought ‘If you’re going to do it, do it properly’. I had a good time because Ella Langley is an amazing country artist, so it was nice that we get to do those things and then today it’s focused back into football.”
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The giant Newcastle defender said the players had to leave the venue early so they did not break team rules. “We missed the last three songs because we had to be back for curfew, which I was a bit gutted about,” he said. “Those were our three best ones.”
Bukayo Saka was not involved in group training on Saturday as England stepped up preparations for next week’s World Cup clash with Ghana. Saka, who came off the bench in Wednesday’s opening 4-2 win against Croatia, was training separately as he continues to manage an Achilles injury which troubled him towards the end of the domestic season. There are no concerns over the Arsenal winger’s fitness for Tuesday’s match in Boston, and Tuchel expects him to be ready to start the final group game against Panama next Saturday.
Burn said it was important that Kane and Jude Bellingham were off to a flying start, with both players on the scoresheet against Croatia in Arlington, Texas. “They’re leaders of the group playing for top clubs in the peak of their careers,” he said. The 34-year-old centre-back added, “I think for any team who’s got world-class players to keep them fit and firing and scoring goals. You need that little bit of luck to get you through the latter stages of the tournament, but I think for Harry to score the goals that he did and Jude as well, I thought was all over the pitch.”
“I really feel like Jude’s one of those players where you can really feel when Jude’s on it, and he sets the tone sometimes. If he goes flying into a tackle with three minutes gone, it really gives you that energy like, ‘Wow, Jude’s on it today’.”
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