Key events
And now for a left-field suggestion, and not one without its appeal …
Imagine what Bielsa could do with this England team.
— Andy Burley Banksy (@theburleybanksy) July 14, 2024
Here’s Jonathan Wilson’s assessment of the Southgate years:
It says everything about the changes Southgate wrought that he has left his successor a hugely difficulty legacy: now there is expectation; now people think England should be winning tournaments. Which, when you consider where England were when Southgate took over in 2016, is a remarkable achievement.
In a tournament full of political overspills – as if any tournament ever isn’t – Spain have added another layer:
The Gibraltar government has criticised the “rancid remarks” that members of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning side made at a victory rally in central Madrid on Monday night, and the territory’s football association is to make a formal complaint to Uefa over the matter.
The controversy, which follows Spain’s 2-1 victory over England in Sunday’s final, erupted after Spain’s captain, Álvaro Morata, and the midfielder Rodri chanted, “Gibraltar es español” (“Gibraltar is Spanish”), while on stage in front of a massive crowd in the Spanish capital’s plaza de Cibeles.
Rodri named official player of Euro 2024
Uefa has released its official team of the tournament. It contains six Spain players and one England player. Have a guess? Yep it’s … Kyle Walker.
The six Spanish players are Rodri, who was named player of the tournament, Lamine Yamal, Marc Cucurella, Dani Olmo, Fabian Ruiz and Nico Williams. France goalkeeper Mike Maignan and defender William Saliba, Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji and Germany forward Jamal Musiala completed the XI.
They’re always stultifyingly conservative and obvious, these official XIs, and Giorgi Mamardashvili might have reason to feel aggrieved.
Part of the issue – to jump back on to a favourite hobby horse – and as is currently being discussed on Sky, is that a manager such as Eddie Howe is reportedly on twice as much money at Newcastle as he would earn in charge of England. The suffocating financial dominance of European elite club football means that the best are out of national associations’ reach. And Howe hasn’t even won anything yet.
Where next for Southgate? Readers Sharon Malley and Simon McMahon are both suggesting other national teams. “I have been pondering Southgate’s future,” says Sharon, “and wondering whether he would fancy an overseas stint – helming the USA, or Canada (semi-finalists in the Copa America) might be an attractive proposition, in the run-up to the North America World Cup. I doubt anyone from those countries would be too concerned that Southgate is not from their shores.
Simon has a lively suggestion: “If Southgate wants to stay in international management, maybe Scotland would be a good fit? Never mind winning tournaments, he’d be lauded as a hero if he managed to get us past the group stage. #SouthgateforScotland”
Gary Lineker had an up and down relationship with England’s performances during Euro 2024 but the former England striker has paid a strong and affectionate tribute to Southgate here:
Wishing Gareth Southgate all the very best in the future. He brought pride, respect and a togetherness to @England that we hadn’t seen for a long time. He was close, very close to footballing immmortality and he always did the job with humility, decency and dignity. Thank you,…
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 16, 2024
So, what are people’s favourite Southgate moments? For all its progress, there haven’t been loads of epics, of the 4-1 v the Netherlands in 96, 5-1 in Germany in 2001 variety, which is why I found myself declaring last Wednesday’s semi-final win as the best Southgate occasion. But here’s a contender, and a decisive one in raising the bar on what was expected from his teams ever since:
Thanks Michael. Afternoon everyone. And we start with a royal tribute, from Aston Villa top boy Prince William:
Thank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest in 2024. Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure and scrutiny.
“And thank you for being an all-round class act. You should be incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved. W.
An email from Gary Naylor:
“I rather hope Southgate goes to the House of Lords with a brief covering sport and education, fits with the new government’s approach I venture. It’s clear that he’s an innovative thinker, understands the psychology of young athletes and can communicate effectively. His weaknesses – tactical rigidity, an excess of misplaced loyalty, a reluctance to seize the moment – don’t really matter there. At least he would irk Ian Botham and that has to count for something”.
Very difficult to argue against any of that. And I won’t, I’m handing the blog over to Tom Davies now. Cheers!
We ask the questions, you give the answers.
This was the front page of the Guardian’s sport section when Gareth Southgate was appointed in 2016.
“Without wishing to sound dramatic, if we go for a foreign manager to replace Southgate then I’m ABE [Anyone but England?] until it’s all over,” emails Rob Kelly. “It’s international football, which means pitching the best players and manager from one country against those of another. If we aren’t producing good enough managers then that’s our problem and we need to fix it. Using our financial clout just to buy in someone good from another country won’t solve the deeper rooted problems we consistently face, like lack of coherent identity. Tough to say as a Brighton fan but Potter in for me”.
I can see the purist logic in that, Rob, but still think it’s a fairly niche view. I’m sure the fans of Uruguay (led by Marcelo Bielsa, an Argentinian) and Georgia (led by Willy Sagnol, a Frenchman) are feeling pretty good about their country’s appointments.
Rice’s Southgate tribute: ‘Thank you gaffer’
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, who has appeared in every game for England at the last three major tournaments, also posted: “Thank you Gaffer. It’s been a privilege to play for England under your guidance. Memories that will stay with me forever. All the best in your next adventure.”
England and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford wrote on Instagram: “Completely gutted. This will hurt for a while. Appreciate everyone who supported us during the tournament and I’d like to thank all my teammates and staff for their work throughout. I also want to say a special thank you to the boss for always believing in me during his time with us and I would like to wish him all the best in his next steps. Thank you Gareth.”
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who missed out on a place in Southgate’s Euros squad after picking up a calf injury in April, wrote on Instagram: “You made us all believe again – memories that will last forever. Thank you boss.”
“I think Gareth Southgate stepping down is the best decision for everyone, emails Fin Fletch. “His man management can never be faulted and his overall record is obviously amazing. It was just that next step where he was found wanting coming up against top teams with set systems. We rode our luck this tournament and that papered over plenty of cracks. Thank you Southgate for breaking the penalty curse and showing quarter finals aren’t our limit.”
Gary Neville reacts:
I am not surprised. I thought Gareth would call it a day. I think there were hints through the tournament when he was speaking that he thought it might be the time. I am not sure it is based on Sunday’s result, it was just a feeling after that game.
He has had an amazing eight years and exceeded all expectations of every single England fan. He deserves to call it a day on his own terms, and he has done that. He knows England better than anybody. It was the right moment for him, he has done an outstanding job.
“He has achieved incredible things on the pitch, but he has also achieved incredible things off the pitch. How difficult it is to manage the politics of England, the media, the club-versus-country rivalries which existed, he has removed a lot of those barriers. He has handled penalties better than anybody, reduced the fear, so he has done an incredible job, but it will have taken a toll on him.
Southgate’s tactical flaws have been well covered, and the reaction here should not simply be a one-sided eulogy to his stint in charge, but I think Neville’s last par here is a concise summary of Southgate’s obvious merits.
Here is our gallery of Southgate’s tenure.
The Prince of Wales speaks.
Gareth, I want to thank you – not as the President of the @FA, but as an @England fan.
Thank you for creating a team that stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest in 2024. Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure… pic.twitter.com/Fq2ytO4em6
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) July 16, 2024
With Steve Holland also gone, does this open the door for Ben White to return?
White is another option at right back, or even right centre back as part of a back three, but his best asset in this England team is his relationship and link up with Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka on the right wing. White understands Saka’s game perfectly, and makes really intelligent overlapping/underlapping runs to help Saka create space for himself, while also being an excellent defender.
Gary Lineker reacts.
Wishing Gareth Southgate all the very best in the future. He brought pride, respect and a togetherness to @England that we hadn’t seen for a long time. He was close, very close to footballing immmortality and he always did the job with humility, decency and dignity. Thank you,…
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 16, 2024
Christian Falk is head of football at Bild, so should be a man in the know when it comes to Tuchel.
After the resignation of Gareth Southgate (52):
❇️ Thomas Tuchel (50) is one of the candidates to succeed
❇️ Tuchel wanted to take a year off, but the job as manager of England would appeal to him
❇️ Tuchel was already interested in the Job before the Euro 2021, at that time,…— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) July 16, 2024
David has redrawn his cartoon and it is not ready for your viewing pleasure.
Southgate has spoken about it being “time for a change and a new chapter”. It is not immediately obvious what that would be. I’m not sure his obvious merits are that suited to club football, something he last experienced way back in 2009.
What could be interesting is if he took a backseat role at the FA, maintaining what he has built from afar, although perhaps a new manager was find that obtrusive.
It is the changes he has made to the culture around the England team – not just within the camp, where players are less cliquey, feel more supported, more welcome – but also outside of it, repairing the disconnect between his team and the fans/media. When he joined in 2016, off the back of a disastrous European Championship and the hiring/firing of Sam Allardyce, English international football was not in a good place.
Ah.
I’d literally just had my cartoon cleared.
— David Squires (@squires_david) July 16, 2024
“He has been England’s most consistently successful manager, and has behaved with dignity and respect for others”, emails Richard Hirst. “The match against Spain was decided by the width of a toenail, and even then England almost got another equaliser. Small margins, as they say. So give Southgate the enormous credit he is due”.
FA: interim solution in place if it is needed
The full statement from Mark Bullingham, the FA’s CEO, is below. There is a very interesting line buried at the bottom. Of a successor to Southgate, Bullingham confirms that the FA “aim to have our new manager confirmed as soon as possible. Our Uefa Nations League campaign starts in September, and we have an interim solution in place if it is needed.”
On behalf of English football, I would like to pay tribute to Gareth Southgate and to Steve Holland for everything they have achieved.
Over the last eight years they have transformed the England men’s team, delivering unforgettable memories for everyone who loves the Three Lions. We look back at Gareth’s tenure with huge pride – his contribution to the English game, including a significant role in player development, and in culture transformation has been unique. However, it is his record of winning tournament games which is most extraordinary.
In the 25 tournaments post 1966 before Gareth took charge, we had won seven knockout games. In his four tournaments we have won nine. So, in his eight years, he has won more games that really matter than in the previous 50 years.
And of course, we have had strong tournament performances throughout their tenure. We came so close to winning the Euros in London and securing the first trophy for our men’s team for over 50 years – and came so close again in Berlin on Sunday.
Before Gareth, our longest time ranked in the top five in the world was seven months. In his tenure we have been ranked there for six years.
Gareth has made the impossible job possible and laid strong foundations for future success. He is held in the highest regard by the players, the backroom team, by everyone at the FA and across the world of football.
We are very proud of everything Gareth and Steve achieved for England, and will be forever grateful to them.
The process for appointing Gareth’s successor is now under way and we aim to have our new manager confirmed as soon as possible. Our Uefa Nations League campaign starts in September, and we have an interim solution in place if it is needed.
We know there will be inevitable speculation, but we won’t be commenting further on our process until we appoint.
Full statement from Gareth Southgate
As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all.
But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.
I joined the FA in 2011, determined to improve English football. In that time, including eight years as England men’s manager, I have been supported by some brilliant people who have my heartfelt thanks.
I could not have had anyone better alongside me than Steve Holland. He is one of the most talented coaches of his generation, and has been immense.
I have had the privilege of leading a large group of players in 102 games. Every one of them has been proud to wear the three lions on their shirts, and they have been a credit to their country in so many ways.
The squad we took to Germany is full of exciting young talent and they can win the trophy we all dream of. I am so proud of them, and I hope we get behind the players and the team at St. George’s Park and the FA who strive every day to improve English football, and understand the power football has to drive positive change.
My special thanks go to the backroom staff who have provided the players and me with unstinting support over the last eight years. Their hard work and commitment inspired me every day, and I am so grateful to them – the brilliant ‘team behind the team’.
We have the best fans in the world, and their support has meant the world to me. I’m an England fan and I always will be.
I look forward to watching and celebrating as the players go on to create more special memories and to connect and inspire the nation as we know they can.
Thank you, England – for everything.
I personally support Barney Ronay’s idea here.
The only thing is that Klopp might be too busy playing padel and going to Jamie XX gigs to care about England’s issues at left back.
These are the most likely successors for Southgate’s job:
Eddie Howe (current Newcastle manager)
Graham Potter (former Brighton and Chelsea manager)
Thomas Tuchel (former Bayern, Chelsea, PSG and Dortmund manager)
Mauricio Pochettino (don’t make me type Chelsea again)
Lee Carsley (current England Under-21 manager and potentially the English Luis de la Fuente).
Preamble
Hello all. Gareth Southgate has stepped down as England manager. We’ll have all the latest reaction and updates after his decision, and any news about who might replace him going forward.
Here’s Southgate’s statement.
As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all. But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.
