Southgate’s Darkest Day: What now?
Wednesday 15th June by Tom Ball
England's 4-0 loss to Hungary at Molineaux on Tuesday night compiled the misery of a very uninspiring set of Nations League games.
The Three Lions' worst home defeat since 1928 is an inexcusable result. But, what does this mean for England's manager? And where does the truth lie?
Southgate's time as England manager has been a raving success, for the most part. England fans were sick of the underperformance and abject performances; this story climaxed at EURO 2016. A 2-1 loss to Iceland in the Round-of-16 saw a handwritten resignation from Roy Hodgson read out in the post-match press conference.
Hodgson had been treading on thin ice, as he had failed to take England out of the Group Stages at the World Cup two years prior. Southgate's introduction came after Sam Allardyce's scandal around bending transfer rules saw his position terminated after just one game at the helm.
Southgate came in as a natural graduate from the Under-21s Manager's job in late 2016. Many were uninspired; they did not feel Southgate had the 'edge' to take on the job. Despite that 'edge' failing to breed success with Fabio Capello.
Southgate has now overseen two major tournaments. An extra-time defeat in the 2018 World Cup Semi-Final and defeat in the EURO 2020 Final on penalties. He has taken England the furthest they have been since '66 - this is not something to take for granted, but many still have been.
Southgate's defensive style has frustrated a large group of England fans who feel like he is not doing the country's attacking talent justice. A large group of fans with such a profound rejection of the manager almost seem like they are waiting for this England side to fail.
Of course, this is nothing new; the England team have been dysfunctional underachievers on a footballing level before and faced intense criticism and scrutiny. Much of the country's media have consistently been unable to use their influence to help the national side. Their treatment of payers like Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling proves that.
A trouble-seeking group of tabloids easily manipulated a country segmented by the club game's tribalism.
When you have such an intense rivalry amongst many clubs in England's top-flight it is hard to gain any fanatical togetherness. Jack Grealish, a player who was lauded by the entire country last summer, is now booed everywhere he goes because of his move to Manchester City.
Liverpool fans booed the country's national anthem in May at the FA Cup Final. A fanbase so entrenched in England's footballing landscape completely rejects the idea of patriotism due to the Thatcher Government's handling of the Hillsborough disaster. Today, the Johnson Government hangs by a thread, following the divided result in last week's vote of confidence.
All the while, Southgate's England has provided the country with newfound hope, a group of talented, professional, inspiring and diverse young men who have shown they want to play for England and represent this country.
The England team's culture seems to believe in England's chances at European Championships and World Cups. A culture implemented by Gareth Southgate.
And that is what we must not forget, fans of bigger clubs will try and contextualise our runs in these last two tournaments, saying they were 'easy' and similar nonsense. However, Southgate took over this side weeks after losing to Iceland, a game described by Alan Shearer as the worst England performance he had ever seen at that time. He then had to succeed Sam Allardyce, a scandal that made 2016 one of England's worst years in its history. Southgate was the man tasked with turning that around.
If you had told someone that six years on, England had been to a Semi-Final, a Final and made one of the favourites to win the upcoming World Cup, they would have suggested you go and see a doctor.
Despite this, the coming months present perhaps Southgate's biggest challenge yet. This England side is facing proper and deserved scrutiny. Expectations had understandably risen following last summer, and the worst home defeat in almost a century is inexcusable.
Southgate deserves to have the opportunity to turn this around. Many have caught up in how quickly things have turned around in the last six years. His record in major tournaments speaks for itself. There is no doubt belief in him is now at its weakest since his appointment as a result of Tuesday night. However, the amount of the England players have spoken to his brilliance means that he has the man-management skills to help this England side rebound.
Sacking a manager two games out from a World Cup does not make any sense either. While Tuesday night was terrible, the results of Europe's top sides like France and Germany have also been incredibly disappointing. The correlation with UEFA's slightly inhumane decision to shove four Nations League fixtures at the back end of a season that was not only long but saw the schedule heavily disrupted is clear. The players look disinterested and tired across the continent, not just here.
Belgium and Manchester City player Kevin De Bruyne has even suggested that he sees the Nations League as friendly matches and rejects the competitiveness of the UEFA tournament. We have gone through a global pandemic, and had a 2019-20 season that finished in September, yet UEFA are still insisting this tournament had to happen last year and now this year.
Many results from across Europe during this Nations League stint have subverted the odds. Essentially, England is not the only major European side who have struggled these last two weeks.
If there is this persistence in attempting to contextualise both of Southgate's major tournament runs, there should be some contextualisation here.
Southgate should not get a pass for this. Underachievement in Qatar will mean the FA should be showing him the door as there is an increasing indication that this group of players may have been taken as far as they can. Furthermore, their decision to give him a four-year contract before EURO 2020 had even finished last summer was reminiscent of Manchester United's decision to give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a new contract after losing the Europa League final. We all know how that ended.
But while that may be the case, abusing him, his tactics, and even trying to play down his achievements as England manager is entitled. It was a long time ago that the England national team were as together as they have been in the past four years. And that isn't a coincidence; it is because of Southgate.
The international game is also not the same as the club game, and international football is primarily low scoring and very dependent on defensive solidity. All international success is based upon one-legged knockout football with squads who have about a month together as a team per year.
Hiring replacements like Howe, Potter, or even Wenger does not guarantee success. They might implement a more forward-thinking style of play, but the England jobs require essential non-footballing qualities. Many of Southgate's benefits to this England side likely came from his time with the Under-21s. Squad selection, managing different egos and bringing players together that are rivals for eight months of the year are challenges exclusive to international management. Many who would be tipped to replace Southgate are yet to experience that.
While everyone will want to play on the front foot, England's lack of in-form defensive options and the inability to build up a fluid attacking relationship means there is not much opportunity to implement attacking intent.
England got to the EURO 2020 Final because they conceded one goal on the way there, that one goal being a 30-yard direct free-kick. There is an obvious method to the madness. However, the madness is so jarring for some that the toxicity was lurking, waiting to pounce and pounce it has; it is now up to Southgate and his players to turn it around.