Southgate steps down as England manager

[HybridFox]

You can't blast Rodgers and Puel for boring football but still want Southgate to continue. Unless of course you hate England...

[spacemunky]

It's certainly time and many would argue that he overstayed his welcome.

 

Always felt like we could have done better, but he certainly accomplished more than so many before him.

 

Really wish him the best and hope we can continue to build from where he has left off.

[Chris_OGrady]

Fair play Gareth. He can hold his head high, but he's not the man to take us to glory. I've found myself getting increasingly frustrated by him over the last few years, but it's nice that we can look back on his reign fondly rather than it dragging onto an acrimonious end.

 

As others have stated above, the only tournament I can't fault him for was Qatar 2022. We put in some good performances and were beaten by a strong France team. 2018 he did well too, and I think in hindsight Croatia probably had a slightly better team than us.

 

2021 was a huge missed opportunity and ultimately the one where we should have cashed in. It was where we started to have an excess of attacking options and Southgate's negativity and limitations became apparent. He played such a negative team in that Italy final and we were poor as soon as we took the lead. With it basically being a home tournament, we should have won it.

 

This tournament has been a complete smokescreen and it's a miracle he didn't end up the same way as Roy Hodgson after the Slovakia game.

 

 

[MattFox]

37 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Same here. Strange how it can work out.

Only tournament we looked like a decent attacking force but didn’t have Southgate’s draw luck 

 

2018 was good for the vibes and 2021 was a weak tournament that we should have won

[Guest Col city fan]

Southgate has taken the whole International set up from a shitty place to a much better place.

He’s been good with the media, good with the players and comes across as a very genuine ‘nice bloke’. I honestly wished he could have won a tournament with England.

BUT nice blokes don’t automaticallly make top football managers. The reality is, despite the positivity around the England camp over recent years, we’ve still won nothing. 
In fact, am I right in saying Southgate himself has won nothing? 🤷‍♂️

If the raison detre of becoming England football manager is to finally win a trophy, then he’s failed to achieve that.

I see we are linked with Eddie Howe, Potter and Steve Cooper now! All of whom appear to be modern, decent chaps who have done all their coaching badges, come up through the ranks and are decent candidates?

But my feeling is still that we need somebody with a bit of a ruthless streak. Someone who isn’t afraid to rock the boat at the FA and someone who will drop out-of-form players.

Finally, someone who sets us up to WIN, rather than to ‘not lose’ the really big games against the best opponents. 
I think if we did appoint someone like Howe (I like him btw… he comes across extremely well), when it comes to the France/Argentina/Brazil/Spain in the semi finals type scenarios, I’m not convinced he’s got the experience to take us over the line.

Brian Clough once said to win (he was taking about the old Division 1) you have to be lucky, a bit daft, know how you want to play and have the players to do it’. Also that ‘all football management is 90% the same…. It’s the final 10% that’s the special bit’

We now need to find someone with that final 10%. Someone where the likes of Bellingham can sit in the dressing room, look up and see a manager standing there who he is in awe of and (dare I say it), a little bit scared of, who is clear tactically and who he would want to bust a gut for. I imagine this is how he sees the likes of Ancelotti.

Howe or Potter….? Have they really won anything themselves, have they got that final 5% that Cloughie talked about?

I don’t think so tbh.

 

Edited 16 July by Col city fan

[DJ Barry Hammond]

48 minutes ago, MattFox said:

I’d argue we played our best football under him in 2022 when we only got to the quarters 

 

This tournament was clearly some kind of black magic act to get to the final

I’ve never known a team that has consisted of so many constantly criticised starters to perform so well results wise! 

 

I think a big miss for Gareth this time round was Maguire - as well as Guehi played, Harry is a bit more aggressive defensively and was always a threat from set-pieces. 

One of the frustrating things in this tournament - and something Gareth will possibly look back on with regret - he clearly knew what some of the key issues with his starting 11 were, because his substitutions showed that.

Yet, for whatever reason, he never really moved away from that starting 11 - Mainoo for Trent was only the real unforced change, given if Shaw was fit, he would have started throughout.

 

 

[Leicesterpool]

Southgate did a good job yes, got England to two finals. But with the players under him you do question he could done better. Against croatia were 45 minutes away from a world cup final, but poor tactics and not react in the second half early enough cost us. 

 

Euro 2021, best team by far maybe helped playing all but one game at wembley. Final we were just 10 minutes from winning it. But again poor tactics and not reacting early enough in the second half.

 

World cup 22, outstanding performances except against Usa. Just unlucky come the quarter finals against France.

 

Euro 24, up to the semis we limped to the semi final. But give us credit we made it. For once Southgate got his subs right. Biggest fault came probably by constantly picking Kane all tournament it was clear the quarters he wasnt up to speed and going into the semi final and final he shouldn't have started. The negative tactics all tournament with attacking players will always be questioned. Like euro 21 a massive opportunity missed.

 

 

 

 

[Corky]

Similar to Rodgers' reign at Leicester. Did well, should probably have done better but did well enough to make it tough for the next manager to emulate.

 

2021 was the best chance, 2022 was good football wise but this one looked one too far despite reaching the final. Dragged England out of the dire decade of 2006-2016 and made the team closer to the fans (and each other) but ultimately I think we are a trophy short.

[CWC1983]

I'll play devil's advocate,

 

I know England in general pay little or no attention to the Nations league, but if you look at the past winners and runners up it gives an insight into countries that take it a bit more seriously and its an opportunity to play tournament football and learn from the experience

 

Did Gareth miss a trick by not taking it seriously? 

 

2021 Winners France, 2023 winners Spain. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Royston.]

Dont want Potter to get it. Did well at Brighton, flopped at chelsea been out of work since but somehow he is good enough to manage England?

 

Cant say im a fan of Howe either but I'd rather him take the job.

[Ely fox]

1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

Southgate has taken the whole International set up from a shitty place to a much better place.

He’s been good with the media, good with the players and comes across as a very genuine ‘nice bloke’. I honestly wished he could have won a tournament with England.

BUT nice blokes don’t automaticallly make top football managers. The reality is, despite the positivity around the England camp over recent years, we’ve still won nothing. 
In fact, am I right in saying Southgate himself has won nothing? 🤷‍♂️

If the raison detre of becoming England football manager is to finally win a trophy, then he’s failed to achieve that.

I see we are linked with Eddie Howe, Potter and Steve Cooper now! All of whom appear to be modern, decent chaps who have done all their coaching badges, come up through the ranks and are decent candidates?

But my feeling is still that we need somebody with a bit of a ruthless streak. Someone who isn’t afraid to rock the boat at the FA and someone who will drop out-of-form players.

Finally, someone who sets us up to WIN, rather than to ‘not lose’ the really big games against the best opponents. 
I think if we did appoint someone like Howe (I like him btw… he comes across extremely well), when it comes to the France/Argentina/Brazil/Spain in the semi finals type scenarios, I’m not convinced he’s got the experience to take us over the line.

Brian Clough once said to win (he was taking about the old Division 1) you have to be lucky, a bit daft, know how you want to play and have the players to do it’. Also that ‘all football management is 90% the same…. It’s the final 10% that’s the special bit’

We now need to find someone with that final 10%. Someone where the likes of Bellingham can sit in the dressing room, look up and see a manager standing there who he is in awe of and (dare I say it), a little bit scared of, who is clear tactically and who he would want to bust a gut for. I imagine this is how he sees the likes of Ancelotti.

Howe or Potter….? Have they really won anything themselves, have they got that final 5% that Cloughie talked about?

I don’t think so tbh.

 

Agree. 

[Trent Steel]

Fair play to him hes had 2 finals to win us a trophy and failed but he did a good job 

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

I’ve never known a team that has consisted of so many constantly criticised starters to perform so well results wise! 

 

I think a big miss for Gareth this time round was Maguire - as well as Guehi played, Harry is a bit more aggressive defensively and was always a threat from set-pieces. 

One of the frustrating things in this tournament - and something Gareth will possibly look back on with regret - he clearly knew what some of the key issues with his starting 11 were, because his substitutions showed that.

Yet, for whatever reason, he never really moved away from that starting 11 - Mainoo for Trent was only the real unforced change, given if Shaw was fit, he would have started throughout.

 

 

One of the reasons this tournament wasn’t so smooth. England were excellent at set pieces in the other tournaments under Southgate. 

[goody2028]

27 minutes ago, Royston. said:

Dont want Potter to get it. Did well at Brighton, flopped at chelsea been out of work since but somehow he is good enough to manage England?

 

Cant say im a fan of Howe either but I'd rather him take the job.

No way will Potter get another job whilst Chelsea are still paying him, can’t say i don’t blame him. 

 

Would take Howe or Poch though. 

[whoareyaaa]

There is a god then

[Parafox]

So much of this reads like an obituary. 

[Tuna]

Howe probably for me

Edited 16 July by Tuna

[Tielemans63]

 

 

 

[Wymsey]

 

 

[Super_horns]

52 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

 

 

Presume that is clickbait ? 

[urban.spaceman]

The first England manager I remember was El Tel. You look at all the managers that have come since - Hoddle, Keegan, Sven, McClaren, Capello, Hodgson - some might be remembered fondly while others are to be jeered at. But the overwhelming sense that comes to me now Southgate has resigned is just RESPECT.

 

Might not always have been fun to watch, but two EURO finals and a World Cup semi-final is to absolutely be respected. I hope his successor can build on what he's achieved and take us that one step further.

 

Thank you Gareth.

[BenTheFox]

Eddie Howe is paid a much better salary at Newcastle than Southgate was at England. Not only would the FA have to at least match his salary to drag him away from Newcastle, they'd also have have to have pay Newcastle compensation. I just don't see it happening. 

Edited 16 July by BenTheFox

[Greg2607]

9 hours ago, st albans fox said:

The Spanish took a risk with their U21 coach …..

 

and I think he has the bottle to tell some of the big time Charlies that it’s time to move on.  Southgate also did that but then ended up too close to some of them over the past few years. 

Spain's under 21 coach had 25 years experience!

[st albans fox]

16 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

Spain's under 21 coach had 25 years experience!

But only five years as a coach of a senior team (bilbao and alaves) 

 

Carsley is 50 y o - he’s hardly ‘wet behind the ears’

I understand your point but I think it’s a brave call we could make and I think it could well work 

 

[filbertway]

Dan Ashworth must be sick of people giving Southgate credit for his work