Euro 2024: How should Gareth Southgate be judged

There are few more polarising figures in English football than Gareth Southgate.

The 53-year-old leads England to a major tournament for the fourth time at Euro 2024 and does so with question marks still surrounding the success of his near eight-year tenure.

Did England over-perform in reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, the final of Euro 2020 and the quarters of the World Cup in 2022? Or did they underachieve in not claiming silverware in any of them?

With Southgate admitting today that he will most likely leave the job if England don’t win the European Championship – and, even if they did, what better time to head off to more lucrative pastures new? – then it seems a logical time to assess his performance in charge of the Three Lions.

 

Southgate impresses in early years

Rewind to that fateful night in Nice eight years ago when England were humbled by Iceland and few would believe we were even having this debate given Southgate’s record.

The Euro 2016 debacle meant the end for Roy Hodgson with successor Sam Allardyce lasting just 67 days before being undone by a newspaper sting over a casual pint of wine.

In stepped Southgate as a safe pair of hands having impressed the FA suits during his time as Under-21s boss.

He was a breath of fresh air. Eloquent, honest and engaging off the field, he made immediate improvements on it as England gained 26 points out of a possible 30 on their way to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

Their performances in Russia were a mixed bag. A last-gasp win over Tunisia was unconvincing while a 6-1 hammering of Panama was largely expected given the countries’ relative resources. The 1-0 defeat to Belgium in the final Group G game was viewed as a blessing as it, in theory, pushed England into the easier half of the draw.

A last-16 encounter with Colombia in Moscow was tricky, though, and it required the brilliance of Jordan Pickford to send England through on penalties.

Defeat there and the whole narrative…

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Author : Jon Fisher

Publish date : 2024-06-14 08:00:10

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