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Gareth Southgate wants time to find 'best scenario' for England captaincy

England manager Gareth Southgate faces the media
Image: Gareth Southgate will ponder the best possible solution for the England captaincy

Gareth Southgate is giving himself time to find the "best scenario" when it comes to the England captaincy.

This is yet another period of transition for the Three Lions after Southgate was handed the manager's job following a promising four-match interim reign.

The former Middlesbrough and England Under-21s boss has repeatedly underlined the need for leaders and last week suggested he favoured a shift away from the notion of a permanent England captain.

Current skipper Wayne Rooney was left out of the squad for Wednesday's 1-0 loss in Germany and Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Lithuania amid questions over game-time and fitness, with Southgate using this period to assess his options.

Gareth Southgate and Wayne Rooney earlier this season
Image: Southgate suggested earlier this week that captain Wayne Rooney needs to be playing more regularly for Manchester United if he is to keep his place with En

"I guess I am giving myself time to think through what the best scenario is, really," he said in regards to the captaincy.

"I have said in the past we want to develop more leaders. We did that with Gary (Cahill in Germany) - I know he's not playing on Sunday and it is opportunity to share that responsibility.

"I think people have stepped up in their performance, so there were people that weren't wearing the armband that played with the ball as leaders and played without it as leaders, so for me that's the more important part."

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Rooney and Liverpool's Jordan Henderson - both absent from this squad - have each led the side out on two occasions under Southgate, while Cahill wore the armband in Dortmund on Wednesday.

But with the Chelsea defender suspended for the Lithuania match, another player will captain the side at Wembley on Sunday.

Gary Cahill training with England on Wednesday
Image: Gary Cahill (centre) captained England in their defeat to Germany, but misses out against Lithuania due to suspension

Asked if there could be a system that sees the most capped player captain the side, he said: "It is one possibility, but then at the moment that would mean Joe (Hart) gets it every time.

"It is something I want to think through, but it is not as important to me as making sure that more develop and more are given responsibility."

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