ALEX Dyer is delighted to see his two former team-mates Gareth Southgate and Chris Powell lead England to the brink of Euro 2020 glory.

And the U’s assistant boss believes the character of the duo – in addition to their coaching ability – has played a big part in the Three Lions’ success.

England will be going for glory at Wembley tonight against Italy, with boss Southgate and his coaching colleague Powell plotting their route to what would be a historic victory.

Dyer was at Crystal Palace with the pair in the late eighties and later teamed up with his good friend Powell as a coach, at Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town.

The U’s number two says he is delighted to see the duo do so well, for England.

Dyer said: “They’re good mates and they know football inside and out.

"But the most important thing is that they’re good people.

“They’re good human beings who want the best both for themselves but also for the country and they treat people in the right way.

“That’s why people will always play for them.

“That’s the way the England team is at the moment and you can see the atmosphere.

“They’ve got good players by the way, let’s not mistake that but we’ve had good footballers in the past that haven’t cut it and this time they’ve got it right.

“I’ve spoken to Chris and he’s buzzing.

“He’s proud and to be part of the coaching set-up and it’s a great achievement.

“Chris deserves everything he gets, because he’s a good person, a good coach and a good manager in his own right.

“Hopefully this is another string to him and he’ll pick up a medal along the way.

“I wish them all the best in the final.”

Gazette:

All smiles - England's players share a joke with Gareth Southgate, Chris Powell and the rest of the coaching team in a training session, ahead of the Euro 2020 Final Picture: AP PRESS/DAVE THOMPSON

Powell, who has been part of the England set up since 2019, has worked alongside Southgate, Steve Holland, Graeme Jones and Martyn Margetson to help the Three Lions reach their first final in 55 years.

“There are a lot of different coaches in the England camp now,” said former Kilmarnock boss Dyer, who was appointed as Colchester’s assistant manager last month.

“It’s important when you stay together in the camp for a long period of time, for six or seven weeks, coaches have to mix together.

“They’re all representing England but they’ve all come from different backgrounds and someone like Chris can help smooth that along.

“He plays an important role in the England camp and hopefully they can get the win.”

Dyer says Southgate’s clear leadership qualities came to the fore from the very start of his playing career, at Palace.

Southgate was an apprentice at Palace when Dyer arrived at Selhurst Park from Hull City, in 1988.

He added: “It’s hard to say when someone is so young whether they will go into management in the future but he was captain and you could see that he was a leader.

“Alan Smith always looked out for Gareth and he had leadership – you could see that.

“He came from a completely different background to most of the lads there.

“He was quite posh in the way he spoke and we were all from the street really.

“We came in and just wanted a football career and so did he.

“He had to blend in which he did and he went onto have a very good career.

“He’s a really good person and I wish him the very best.”