“I think he’s been the right person to bring the nation together regarding the football team. And now, maybe it’s time for someone else with a more modern, attacking style of football. Because I think the game’s gone away from being successful if you’re defensive.”
Gary Lineker
Introduction
Gareth Southgate will always be haunted by his missed penalty at UEFA Euro 1996. A miss that sent Bobby Robson’s England packing in the semi-finals against Germany. It was a shocking end, and Southgate was named one of the best players in the tournament up to this point. A weak ball was sent to the German goalkeeper, leaving the England team licking their wounds again. A silverware nightmare that has lasted 60 years. Yet this defender and midfielder, who had spells at Southampton, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middleborough, still rose to the challenge in 2016 when he was offered what is often regarded as a poisoned chalice, the England manager job.
Dressed smartly in a three-piece suit and using the opportunity to sign a wealth of young and talented players, Gareth gave fresh hope to the England side when it was deflated and tired. Hope and optimism replaced despondency and dejection, and it looked like this modern-day Sir Alf Ramsey may have what it takes to bring England back from the brink. The 1966 benchmark that had haunted the team for so long could be broken, and if anyone could do it, Southgate was the man.
The Euro Dream
A heavy weight lies on the shoulders of any England manager, and Gareth is no exception. Yet he proved his critics wrong by qualifying for this year’s Euros. As usual, the hype was immense, with beer selling by the caseload in supermarkets and England shirt sales going through the roof. Yet no sooner had Southgate embarked on this campaign than he was quickly being accused of playing the squad too defensively and not using his best players when it mattered. Using experimental formation tactics deep into the tournament saw wins that just got over the line. However, he went one step further than his predecessors and set the team up for their first final.
In the final, where the British royal family and a newly appointed prime minister were watching, the question was immense against a confident Spanish side. Both teams started the game unprepared to give much away, but when Spain’s Nico Williams scored, the writing seemed to be on the wall. However, England pulled it back with an exquisite strike by substitute Cole Palmer. Running down the clock, England needed to find something to score that crucial second goal but were denied the opportunity when a late goal by Mikel Oyarzabal sealed the deal for Spain in the 86th minute.
An Uncertain Future
Quizzed by journalists after their defeat, Southgate refused to be drawn on whether he would resign. Taking the cagey approach of saying he needed to have conversations with those in charge before a decision could be reached. England fans and the media have been split on his performance, saying that he had done well in getting them to the final and deserved a knighthood. Still, there have been many calls, including from the likes of Garry Lineker, to say that his time in the job is over. Described by some as a “laughing stock”, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have been tipped as possible names as his successor to repair what some see as still a disjointed squad through weak managerial decisions. Time will be spent on Southgate’s future, but as we know in football history, managers can be swept aside by executive pressure, and Gareth is walking on thin ice now.
