England’s World Cup media centre is proving right up the players’ alley, with Gary Cahill hitting the target on the darts as team-mates went bowling.
After years of tension between press and players, Gareth Southgate has been keen for his squad to embrace a relaxed, open relationship with journalists.
Last week’s Super Bowl-style media day epitomised that approach, as did the way players took to their first media duties at the Cronwell Park hotel in Repino.
The media centre includes a pool table, table football, air hockey and even a PlayStation with FIFA18 on it, but it was the chance to take to the alley that took the players’ fancy.
However, England will be hoping to have a better strike rate in Monday’s Group G opener against Tunisia.
Not your standard #WorldCup media centre. Gary Cahill won the darts & then joined Jesse Lingard, Kieran Trippier & Trent Alexander-Arnold bowling ????????? pic.twitter.com/mT4UaqbxuC
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) June 14, 2018
Several attempts ended in the gutter as Lingard looked the most impressive, while Cahill proved a dab hand at the oche.
After players batted back questions at Euro 2016 about the team’s darts tournament to the chagrin of some reporters, the centre-back took on a journalist in a darts challenge.
Cahill comfortably rose to the occasion, raising his arms in the air after sealing victory. The pair shared a sporting handshake afterwards.
