Gareth Southgate EXCLUSIVE: England manager quizzed on Three Lions’ No.10 problem and reveals the time Harry Redknapp gave him an actual selection headache

Gareth Southgate does NOT consider England's abundance of 'outstanding' No.10s to be a problem... having experienced a real 'headache' when coming up against Harry Redknapp!

Southgate, who will lead the Three Lions in this summer's rescheduled Euro 2020, has big decisions to make in the build-up to the tournament - primarily over which midfielders he should select.

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A host of No.10s are all shining for their respective clubs this season and deserving of call-ups, including Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, not to mention the more traditional widemen Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho.

It's likely Southgate will have to disappoint at least one of the aforementioned playmakers, but this is exciting rather than daunting for the boss - who knows all about actual selection headaches.

Joining Tuesday's talkSPORT Breakfast for a lengthy and in-depth interview, Southgate revealed the time he was in charge of Middlesbrough and was given a real headache by Harry Redknapp, who was at the time Tottenham manager.

“I can remember being at Middlesbrough playing Tottenham," began Southgate on talkSPORT, "and we were 2-1 up in the game.

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"Harry Redknapp put Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov on, and I looked at my bench and had five kids from the academy...

"Now that’s a headache, because you are thinking 'I'm not quite sure how we turn this game around', and improve what we've got on the field.

"When you've got a choice of some outstanding talent, now of course there's big decisions you have to make. But in the end, you know, some of these decisions are sadly taken out of your hands.

"I mean, if I look at the squad for March we're already without Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Harvey Barnes. James Justin, who we think has been doing exceptionally well at Leicester, is going to be out.

"So, you know, how many of these guys [are available]? There's others who aren't playing at the moment.

"And then actually it's just a case of 'right, who's playing the best'. Who do we think has the pedigree, who's performed at the high level before coupled with who's in the form, who fits into the way we want to play with and without the ball?

"So, yes, of course there's a lot of talent in those attacking areas, but what's really exciting is that for years we've talked about development in English football and where are the creative players, how do we develop those types of players.

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"We've had root and branch reviews of everything from, you know, grassroots football to academy football to everything for decades and we've now [got them].

"I think huge credit to the clubs but also even junior football. When I go and watch junior football played on the local parks we're able to see the style that kids play, the skill level.

"You go into the cages in the inner cities and see the talent. There's raw talent and there's a different type of player, a different skill level coming through which is hugely exciting."

More young English players have been getting their chance in the Premier League in recent seasons, which has pleased the England boss.

"Only 18 months or so ago every Saturday we were about 30 per cent of the league English qualified players," Southgate added.

"This year that's up to 40 per cent and that doesn't seem a lot, but when you think that the likes of perhaps an Emile Smith Rowe, for example, getting his opportunity at Arsenal. We know those kids are there, we know the talent is there.

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"But of course when the buying and spending power of the clubs is greater than anything around Europe and the pressure is on to have immediate success, it's much easier and quicker to go and buy a finished product from abroad who's got a couple of seasons behind them.

"There was always this blockage if you like for young English players going in. Now, they're getting their chance and they're showing [their ability].

"Those two boys that afternoon as an example, [Bukayo] Saka and Smith Rowe, have been a huge breath of fresh air in their team and there are more across the country if they get the opportunity."