England's quarter-final clash with Switzerland at the European Championship on Saturday marks the 100th game in charge for Gareth Southgate, but the manager said that impressive achievement is the last thing on his mind.
"I'm very proud but it is the least important stat of the week," he said on Friday.
"The only thing that matters is it is a quarter-final and my complete focus is to get my country into another semi-final.
"I'm sure in years to come I will look back and reflect with great pride. But at the moment it is the last thing on my mind."
Southgate's 100th match at the helm could possibly be his last with plenty of speculation around his future amidst the team's lacklustre showing in Germany.
"It is a fact of life," he said on the talk about his position. "If you are in one of the most high profile jobs in world football then there will always be speculation, assessment of what's going on, so I am not worried," he said.
"When I was a younger manager trying to forge a career you are worried about if the first job doesn't go well there won't be another job. So you are worrying about failing and getting the sack.
"Now I am older, I'm 53, I'm not worried about losing or what will go wrong. We have the chance to get into a semi-final. It is a positive thing to focus on. It has been my mindset for quite a while now."
Southgate was lambasted after the team's 0-0 draw with Slovenia in the group stage, with fans hurling beer cups and shouting insults in his direction after the final whistle.
"I'm sure that will have motivated (Southgate) that bit more," defender John Stones said. "Everyone who has spent time with him and know him as a person, knows how hard he and his backroom staff work. So, definitely, we want to win for them, ourselves and our families and everyone in the nation."
Southgate has been credited with creating a positive culture since he took the reins of a team in disarray in 2016.
England are the only European side to reach the quarter-finals of the last four major tournaments. They lost to Italy in a shootout in the 2020 European Championship final at Wembley, their best ever run in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Switzerland are enjoying a moment to live for after an impressive run at Euro 2024, with the players in the mood for more and confident they can trouble pre-tournament favourites England, their coach said on Friday.
Switzerland are aiming to make history by winning a place in the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time, having delivered a statement of intent by holding Germany to a draw and knocking out holders Italy in the round of 16.
"We are happy just to be in this moment, to be doing this. We have played well and we were able to create problems for big opponents," coach Murat Yakin told a press conference on the eve of their quarter-final against England for the chance to face Netherlands or Turkey in the last four.
"We are in good shape, we have a lot of self-confidence, and we have shown in several games that we can play against big teams," he said.
"We played against the defending champion, we played well against the hosts, Germany. And so we will cause problems for the English."
Yakin confirmed pivotal playmaker Granit Xhaka was fit to face England in Duesseldorf, despite an adductor problem, and expected a great game from his captain.
England and Switzerland have reached the quarter-finals after sharply contrasting performances so far.
The Swiss have been unflappable, credited with smart tactics, strong defence and fluid attacking that has won the hearts of the public back home.
England have been under fire since day one, however, with discontent among fans over lacklustre, at times rudderless, performances, with players failing to replicate their club form and coach Gareth Southgate criticised over his selections.
Yakin said his team enjoyed eliminating neighbours Italy and wanted to give Switzerland more reasons to cheer.
"Our country celebrated with us. That's the kind of moments we live for," he said.
He smiled when asked if the England match would be the game of his life.
"The last games I've been asked that question," he said. "And I hope I'll be asked the question again next week."
Defender Fabian Schar, who has spent the past six years at Newcastle United, backed his Switzerland team against England but said their opponents were stacked with quality and should not be written off.
"No matter how they played, they are in the quarter-finals So nobody's interested how they played in the group," he said.
"They have a lot of quality and any time they can hurt their opponents. So we need to be prepared for that."
Schar was also asked his opinion on speculation that his club manager Eddie Howe was a contender to become England manager if Southgate is steps down from the job.
"I'm really happy to have him as a manager. Hopefully he stays at Newcastle," he said.
Watch every game from Euro 2024 on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player as well as highlights and goals as they happen on RTÉ Sport digital platforms.
