Gareth Southgate has suggested that the England team would benefit from the help of a sports psychologist in a bid to get over their penalty woes.

The Three Lions were eliminated from the spot for the fifth time in a major tournament when they were beaten by Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.

Southgate, who missed a penalty against Germany at Euro '96, believes that the whole nation is affected by England's inability to win a shootout.

"I'm a big believer in sports psychology," The Mirror quotes Southgate as saying. "A psychologist would help develop coping strategies for dealing with stress.

"Sometimes, you've got to admit that you need help in areas like that. You've got to have the willingness to embrace ideas.

"There is clearly a long history of disappointment and it's in everybody's head. It has to be. To a degree, I think our penalty history probably has an impact on the whole nation. The energy is being sucked out of the whole stadium."

Southgate won 57 caps for England.