Gareth Southgate should be considered one of England’s managerial greats, as he left behind a foundation upon which to build.
Fans and pundits alike have always jumped the gun to criticise Gareth Southgate for some sub-par England performances, particularly at the Euros. There has been this trend of thinking of the former England boss as someone who does not know what he is doing with his players and selection. But that thinking is way off the reality of the situation.
Southgate has done an immense job for England and has acted more like a bridge despite taking them close to glory on two occasions. In truth, the Three Lions fans should be grateful that they got a manager of Southgate’s ilk, who has done a tremendous job of providing a base of sorts for the next man to build upon.
The England job has been one of the sought-after profiles in world football, with the FA failing in multiple experiments over the last many years. In truth, they have some of the best players on paper who perform week in and week out in the Premier League, yet they have won nothing since 1966.
It has been 58 years since they won a major trophy, and in the eight years that Southgate has been in charge, he has taken them to two major finals and one World Cup semi-final. That is not even close to what any other manager, foreign or domestic, has.
Southgate has left a lasting legacy with England
English fans have every right to criticise Gareth Southgate for some of his performances and pragmatic football. Losing two Euro finals is not something for the faint-hearted, and hence, not many are sad at the prospect of Southgate leaving the role after the latest defeat to Spain.
Since winning the 1966 World Cup, England have never been to a significant final until Euro 2020 or 2021. Similarly, they have made a semi-final of a major tournament only exceptionally since 1966, with a third-place finish in 1968 & 1996 Euros and the 1990 World Cup.
Some fans and pundits seem arrogant when they call Gareth Southgate not good enough for England while constantly criticising his every move during his eight years in charge. Southgate has done more for England than all the managers they have had, barring Sir Alf Ramsey, and he deserves that much respect.
Southgate has built a base for the next man to come in and benefit. Sure, sometimes his brand of football has not been attractive, but indeed it has been effective. He does leave behind a solid system and players who are equipped to take this team forward.
Having given the chance to the likes of Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden, in addition to numerous other players like Kobbie Mainoo, Marc Guehi, and, of course, Jude Bellingham, Southgate has set up a clear base that will enable the next manager to continue from where he left off rather than changing the entire setup and starting from scratch.
Do England need a change of style?
There is a distinct difference between club and international football. Most fans usually watch their national teams to get an idea of how their club, more specifically, the big ones, plays. For instance, Phil Foden completely flopped at the Euros, and Southgate felt the direct impact of that, and he was criticised for his lack of attacking football.
A team does not reach the Finals of two Euro editions without a manager with the know-how of knockout football. Southgate has filled this squad with the experience of those big games, and his successor will benefit significantly from that.
The clear example that comes to mind is the work done by Luis Aragones and Spain’s Euro 2008 triumph. After he stepped down, Vicente Del Bosque slotted in with ease and took over a period that proved historic for La Roja, when they won the World Cup and then the Euros again.
Aragones created a solid foundation for Del Bosque to benefit from, and in our opinion, England is in a similar situation, albeit without the coveted trophy to show for. Yet, irrespective of whoever comes in, the new England manager will have a base to work with, and with an attacking brand of football, this squad can achieve big things.
For instance, managers like Graham Potter and Eddie Howe are linked and are known to play an attacking brand of football. Southgate put more emphasis on defending, which might come across as pragmatic, but his style did bring combative results. However, in truth, England does need a change in mentality and how they attack the ball, as they already have the defensive foundations in place thanks to Southgate.
Should an Englishman or a foreigner replace Gareth Southgate?
The final part of this piece on Gareth Southgate explores another avenue, which is also an ongoing debate on whether an Englishman or a foreigner should replace the former boss. There’s the afterthought that no foreign manager has ever won a major trophy with a said national side, and that might play a significant role in the FA’s thinking when searching for a new manager.
Media rumours involve some big names, with Jurgen Klopp being an obvious name because he’s out of a job. Then, there’s the link to Pep Guardiola, for he has yet to commit his future to Manchester City.
Both are indeed great managers, but one is contracted to a club, and they are unlikely to release him for the FA unless Guardiola agitates for a move, which he won’t. Then Klopp has reiterated several times his need to have a break from football, which is often disrespected in many quarters.
England have tried before with some top-notch foreign names, including the formidable Fabio Capello. But things went south, for those managers often fail to understand the core of the English teams. Hence, the appointment of an Englishman seems more likely, and this time around, the FA can evaluate from a solid pool of top managers like Eddie Howe or Graham Potter, for instance.
An Englishman would understand the situation of the team better and can handle the media in the best possible manner compared to a foreign manager. The latter might even come in with more p[pressure, and often is the case that foreign managers create a gap between the team and the fans, which could then take years to repair.
Hence, England must go with the most apparent and sake bet of handing Southgate’s post to another Englishman, and that will come across as the proper succession plan for this England side.
