Gareth Southgate

2022 - 9 - 24

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

'I'm the right man': Gareth Southgate determined to lead England in ... (The Guardian)

The knives may be out after a dismal run of performances but there is no appetite to sack the England manager before the World Cup.

I’ve got to deal with it in my own way and the biggest thing is to make sure the team stays on track, that we keep doing the things we think are right. The manager, seemingly, cannot lay his hands on a vital component and it is easy to say that he ought to have found it by now. It talks in turn to his desire to persist with Harry Maguire in the back three, whom he considers a reliable passer under pressure. If he has to bear the brunt of supporters’ frustration, then so be it. The balance was askew on this occasion as Southgate said the stats had looked OK in terms of possession and shots on target. But it was surely not the case on this occasion because England did not just miss the small details. By midway in the first half the anxiety in the stands was tangible. Throughout his six-year tenure he has invariably called things soundly post-match, even in the emotion of the moment, highlighting his team’s shortcomings as well as where they have succeeded. Not that anybody at the Football Association is thinking about a parting of the ways. “I think I’m the right person to take the team into the tournament. It had been one of those bad England nights when the team looked static, unable to build with the ball, the connections elusive. This is where we are, two months before the finals, with the manager forced to defend his position.

OLIVER HOLT: As atmosphere turns toxic, Gareth Southgate insists ... (Daily Mail)

OLIVER HOLT: When the final whistle blew at the end of England's defeat by Italy on Friday night, Gareth Southgate strode on to the turf at San Siro in his ...

I’m the leader of the group and it’s up to me to keep them on track.’ We’ve got to keep doing things we think are right and assessing the things that we need to improve and it’s my job to take the pressure off the players and if it means that the reaction is towards me, that’s fine. The days of optimism and togetherness are gone. That’s the job and I’ve got to get on with it.’ But as he contemplated another meeting with England’s old foe, the last match before his side leave for Qatar, Southgate rejected the worth of comparisons with previous events. Whenever you have a difficult run of results, it’s always going to be the manager who deals with that. Much of the criticism of him is legitimate — England have not won for five matches and have not scored a goal from open play for 495 minutes — but the baiting of him is unlikely to improve the team’s chances in Qatar. ‘When you’re in a role for a long period, you’re going to have a spell when things are more difficult and that’s probably human nature. I know how the game is and it turns so quickly and you’re judged by results, and that’s that. The damning of the manager leading into the World Cup creates an interesting dynamic because there is nowhere for the anger to go. The ghosts of Robson and Graham Taylor walk among us still and now Southgate is steeling himself for the ordeal that lies ahead. And then he turned and gazed up to the top tier of the Curva Sud, where England’s thousands of travelling fans were massed.

Gareth Southgate insists he is the right man to lead England as ... (Telegraph.co.uk)

The FA have backed Southgate following England's disappointing Nations League results and reassured the 52-year-old his position is safe.

Football management, whenever you have a difficult run of results, it’s going to be the manager that has to deal with that. If it’s me that has to deal with that, then that’s absolutely fine because I’m 52 and I’ve been through pretty much everything.” Asked about the fate of previous England managers, Southgate added: “I know how people dealt with those situations. “In the end, I’ll ultimately be judged on the tournaments and how we do in the tournaments. “I’ve seen every other England manager have it, so I wasn’t and never have been carried away by praise,” said Southgate. “I think it’s more stable that way, without a doubt.”

England's dire form leaves Gareth Southgate with problems ... (Telegraph.co.uk)

England look a far cry from last year's peak of reaching the Euro 2020 final, with issues all over the pitch and Qatar 2022 looming.

[looking completely different to the Euros](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/09/23/disjointed-england-desperate-need-playmaker-keep-world-cup-dream/), when confidence spread to every player. [before the World Cup](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2022/09/23/plane-writers-pick-26-man-england-world-cup-squad-qatar-2022/). With 26 in the squad now, there is a chance for a late run into the squad. Anyway, he picked up a yellow card for dissent which means he is suspended for the Germany game so his next opportunity will be in Qatar. Southgate could do with one other maverick like Grealish to take to the tournament. His team desperately needs inspiration in their last match before they [ head to Qatar](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2022-predictor-wallchart-football-qatar/). He was caught out early at the far post by Gianluca Scamacca and made odd decisions when Italy came forward in the second half. Harry Kane is also creating chances for himself rather than being a part of an attack that can combine with cohesion. “Trust me, it’s going to be good.” But there is now only 90 minutes to get it right before attention turns to Iran, USA and Wales in Qatar. Looking at the bigger picture, England were the biggest victims of those fixtures at the end of last season which nobody wanted but were too polite to protest. England failed to score a goal which was not a penalty. Standings determine the seeding for European Championship qualification, so Gareth Southgate’s team drop into Pot B and will get a tougher group when the draw is made in Frankfurt next month.

Chris Sutton lays into Gareth Southgate after defeat to Italy - "Do we ... (Mirror.co.uk)

England were relegated from their Nations League group on Friday night following defeats to Italy, Hungary and a draw with Germany - marking a significant ...

The players in the dressing room know that this is a game they could well have won." "There will be a huge amount of noise of course but that's been created from the summer really. "It's a spell where ultimately results are going to be the thing that everyone reacts to but I thought there were a lot of positives for us as a team tonight. "I understand the reaction at the end because that's the results we have had in this competition. "It's difficult for me to be too critical of the performance," he said. It's amazing to think these two were supposedly the best sides on the continent when they got to the final of the Euros last year."

Gareth Southgate insists he is right person to lead England to World ... (Sky Sports)

Having reached the semi-finals in Russia four years ago and finished runners-up at last summer's European Championship, England are among the favourites to lift ...

"We need to improve, we know that. I was an England fan and still am an England fan whether I'm playing or not. And the younger players, in particular, that have been in these games will have learned a lot from them. I think it's more stable that way, without a doubt"; England lost to Italy in their last match and host Germany on Monday in their final Nations League game of their Group A3 campaign We know we want to improve. I think it's more stable that way, without a doubt.