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Meet Gareth Southgate's England backroom team for 2018 World Cup

Gareth Southgate and first team coach Steve Holland during a training session at St Georges' Park
Image: Gareth Southgate and his backroom team, including assistant Steve Holland (right), prepare for Monday's opening game with Tunisia

As England prepare to face Sweden in the World Cup quarter-finals, we take a look at the men who have been assisting boss Gareth Southgate at Russia 2018.

England and Sweden go head to head at the Samara Arena on Saturday afternoon following their dramatic penalty shootout win over Colombia on Tuesday night.

In my opinion, I have no doubt this team has a chance to win
Steve Holland

That was England's first-ever victory on penalties in the World Cup, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford the hero after keeping out Carlos Bacca's spot kick, aided by research done with his coach Martyn Margetson.

So, who is in Southgate's backroom team, what exactly are their roles and how will they be assisting the England manager during the competition?

Steve Holland (Assistant manager)

Enjoyed a very brief playing career with Derby, Bury, Husqvarna FF in Sweden and Northwich Victoria, before giving that up to become a coach at Crewe aged just 21.

Having worked his way up Crewe's youth ranks to succeed Dario Gradi in the hot seat at Gresty Road in 2007, Holland was appointed Chelsea's reserve team manager two years later.

Antonio Conte and Steve Holland celebrate as Chelsea clinch the Premier League title earlier this year
Image: Steve Holland (left) celebrate Chelsea's 2016/17 Premier League title with boss Antonio Conte

He then became Andre Villas-Boas' assistant in the summer of 2011, a role he went on to fulfil at Stamford Bridge under Roberto Di Matteo, Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddink and Antonio Conte.

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In fact, the 48-year-old helped oversee Champions League, Europa League, Premier League, FA Cup and Capital One Cup triumphs in his role as Chelsea assistant manager, bringing him to the attention of then England U21 coach Southgate in 2013.

England's new assistant first team coach Steve Holland
Image: Steve Holland has been England assistant coach since 2016

Holland worked with Southgate on a part-time basis and when the latter got the England job in August 2016, he also took on the role with the seniors. And that became full time when he left Chelsea after eight of "the best years of my life" at the end of the 2016-17 season.

He is known to be very popular with the players and someone Southgate leans heavily on when it comes to training sessions, team selections and tactics.

Allan Russell (striking coach)

The Glaswegian had a journeyman career with 11 lower-league clubs in Scotland and England, before moving across to the United States, where he hung up his boots in 2014.

Russell's high point was winning the 2008 Scottish Second Division Player of the Year award after a record-breaking season at Airdrie in which he scored 26 goals in 43 games.

After calling it a day, the Scot tried his hand at modelling - even joining Christina Aguilera on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in Edinburgh - before starting his career as a striker's coach.

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Super Striker Allan Russell gives all the tips on striking the perfect volley.

The 37-year-old lists the likes of Rangers' Martyn Waghorn, Stoke's Saido Berahino and Benik Afobe, Watford's Andre Gray, Middlesbrough's Ashley Fletcher and Portugal's Euro 2016 final match-winner Eder among his clients on his website superiorstriker.com.

In fact, Rafa Benitez brought Russell in to help with misfiring forward Aleksandar Mitrovic at Newcastle, while Holland also employed him to work with Chelsea's players last season.

Image: England striker coach Allan Russell has worked with some of the best-known forwards in the game

Having assisted Holland at the Bridge, Southgate decided to add Russell to his backroom team ahead of last summer's World Cup qualifier in Scotland, a role that was extended to all age groups and the women's team at the FA.

"There are very few people who actually work at this level of detail - looking at technique, where goals come from," Southgate said of Russell.

"With more senior players that tends not to happen because you are going from game to game. But Allan focuses specifically on technique."

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Superior Striker Allan Russell runs through the essential training drills you need to complete in order to strike like Harry Kane in the box

Russell, who describes himself as the "world's No 1 individual striker coach" on his website, spoke to Sky Sports about his skills: "I assess them (strikers). As soon as they come in, I know what's wrong with the body mechanics, if their balance is right, if their technique is good enough.

"Is their standing foot far enough forward when they strike the ball? Are they connecting with the right part of the ball? How are they rotating their hips?"

Martyn Margetson (goalkeeping coach)

The Welshman started out at Man City, making his debut for the club after covering for suspended No 1 Tony Coton in a Manchester derby at Old Trafford in May 1990.

The shot-stopper went on to make 50 appearances for the club, before ending his career at Cardiff in the summer of 2007, during which time he won his one and only Wales cap in a friendly with Canada in May 2004.

England goalkeepers Jordan Pickford (L), Joe Hart (2L) and England's goalkeeper Tom Heaton (R) react as they run with goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson du
Image: England goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson worked with Jordan Pickford at Everton last season

Having hung up his gloves, Margetson became Cardiff's goalkeeper coach - initially as player-coach - a role which saw him also join Wales' backroom team under then managers Gary Speed and Chris Coleman.

In the summer of 2011, Margetson teamed up with West Ham boss Sam Allardyce for the first time, before following him to England, Crystal Palace and Everton.

 Martyn Margetson goalkeeping coach of England and Sam Allardyce manager of England give instructions to Wayne Rooney
Image: Sam Allardyce brought Martyn Margetson in as his goalkeeping coach

And Southgate kept Margetson on to help out with England's young 'keepers, one of who - Jordan Pickford - he worked closely with at Goodison Park in the second half of last season.

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