Haven't the FA decided to turn away from non-English/British managers after Cappello? I know you're only saying it tongue in cheek, but to extend that I do find it farcical to limit your choices from best manager available to best manager of a certain nationality or group - especially given what few English managers I can think of that have had a chance to work with the primadonnas ("Big six" if you like) are limited in numbers and success fat frank (chelski) - top four finish, considering how much they've spent hardly a massive accomplishment Hodgson (Liverpool) - has managed England, was so poor at Liverpool he lasted 20 league games I think it was, little better with England Potter (chelski) - granted he wasn't given long, but won 12, lost 11 I will mention Moyes as he did ok at Man Utd, won something with West Ham and no he isn't English obviously. Could mention Rodders who some will argue nearly won the league but others will argue Suarez et al and maybe a better manager would have. Wouldn't perhaps be right or fair to go back further than Hodgson at Liverpool, but will mention Pearce lost more than he won with citeh not many seasons before that, Redknapp around same time for spuds did ok point is the pot isn't overflowing with top English managers, I know top clubs don't hamstring themselves by limiting it to that pool but maybe because they know it hasn't worked since money ruled the Premier League with an iron fist I suspect Southgate will step down after the Euros regardless
seen plenty argue Southgate is the best manager since Ramsey, "No other manager has taken England to a final", but then only one other manager had home advantage - El Tel in 1996 and lost to a strong German side in the semi on penalties, and was that the shootout Southgate was one to miss one in? and World Cup, if you wanted a soft route to the final then you'd have wanted England's, a poor Sweden without ZI, Colombia without Rodriguez on penalties, granted Croatia are a good side but then if theory holds true that Southgate is great and England must be half decent or that wouldn't matter, I think they'd hope to beat Croatia it was laughable, what little of the game last night I saw was poor England, his favourite Maguire lucky his poor play didn't lead to a goal then, and at the end all the commentator could say was that England were missing players, erm.... - at home - chance to play different players instead of most of the usuals - wasn't missing Pickford, Maguire, Walker, Stones, Rice, Foden, or Bellingham with Rashford and Maddison on the bench, doesn't seem a particularly second string side even if I would not pick all of those. - so basically Kane and Saka not playing, to reference any others would be players who are less placed on a pedestal
I’m no huge Southgate fan but I do honestly think it gets overlooked just how mediocre that 2018 England side was. Croatia were a much better side, just look at the starting midfield of each side. Sure, you’d have wanted Croatia over France or Belgium but truth is England were the weakest of the four semi-finalists.
I am not sure the media will allow a non-Englishman to be appointed. You can see and hear the negative headlines now . Presume Howe or Potter would be lined up next ? Agree Southgate might go after the Euros. Some looked like players out of form or who hadn’t played for a while . I agree on Brazil’s tackling - might have been a few more cards in a competitive game .
How is it a few months before the tournament we don't really have a settled team and a plan in possession? This intl break should have been about getting the team as ready as possible for the summer and finding a way to get them creating chances (which we've struggled with all season arguably) but it still feels like we're miles off. Brazil defended well but we didn't really give them much to think about, plus our disjointed press was easy to play through with their technical ability We did at least find out a few things about the players, namely that Shaw has to start, Gallagher is a liability in possession and definitely not Rice's partner and Dunk is an overhyped mid table CB and no more. We're no closer to getting the best out of Foden as well. As it stands it's looking like the same old England under Southgate where as soon as we run into a side who we can't bully we look exposed. People go on about France but God help us against a Portugal... Belgium in the week will be interesting, they still have some good players and in Tedesco a better coach than Gareth
Worst England manager of my lifetime. I'd even put him behind Steve McLaren as Hodgson is good at what he does otherwise he wouldn't keep getting jobs until he was too old to do it. Didn't do great at Euro 2012 but not bad either losing to pens to Italy who went to play the final, 2014 was a shambles getting knocked out in the GS and 2016 England got knocked out by Iceland. Is it set in stone that Southgate will step down this summer? Tough times for England if it's true. He has been able to bring the best out of mediocre players which hasn't been the case of past managers.
A boring non-entity. I don't rate him, and I don't rate his football style, this England team should have done better. And would have done, whilst playing far more entertaining football, with numerous other managers. For some saying such a thing makes you a traitor though, amusingly. Fingers crossed this is his last tournament.
Does make you laugh when you see Southgate linked to the Manchester United job he'd be incredibly lucky to get the Sheffield United job. He's at his very best a midtable championship manager.
Klopp is free soon . Presume the next manager will be a Potter or Howe . Many other options out there?
I'd like him to step away after the Euros regardless of what happens, if only for his own sanity. Personally think he's done a fantastic job on and off the pitch. People forget just how toxic it was before, and we hadn't got close to winning anything since the 90s. He's played a key role in completely changing the culture and allowing the country to fall in love with international football again. It probably won't be appreciated fully until he's gone, but he's laid the groundwork for the next manager to come in and have some serious success (assuming the FA stick with their principles and go with someone who's aligned with them). I'd love him to go out on a high and win the Euros, but knockout football is brutal and only one team can win it, so nothing's guaranteed. God knows who we get next, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's someone like Graham Potter. We've gone down the big foreign manager route and failed more than once. I think they'll go for a homegrown, modern coach who acts as another father figure for the players. Steve Cooper's another one given his history with the England set-up, but I think Potter's more likely. Beyond that I'm not sure. I can't see them giving it to Carsley but you never know.
I was about to come in here and say this. Not a huge amount of depth, a pretty large crossover between that squad and the 2016 Euro’s. Yes we had some class players in there but I honestly think you could only say Kane was anywhere near world class at that time (Stones was class too but not near the level he has been since). Plan in possession is a point I’ll take but I think it’s pretty wrong to suggest we haven’t got a settled team/largely nailed on starters? Pickford RB of choice - Stones - Maguire - Shaw/LB Rice - Midfielder Saka Bellingham Foden Kane I think that is a pretty unarguable 8/9 starters in there (in terms of who will play opposed to who should. I’d definitely say they’re largely who should based on England performances and club form but different debate). So we just need to put in a partner for Rice, choose a RB (probably Walker), and have a Shaw replacement to hand in case he can’t play, and we’re pretty set on an XI. I’m happy to see how this Euro’s go and can debate Southgate after that. I don’t think he’s by any means a brilliant football manager but I think for this England team, and international management more generally, he’s proven to be a safe pair of hands. Deschamps doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence as a manager imo and has still taken France to 2 World Cup finals and won one. Southgate was a penalty shootout from a tournament win and a missed Kane penalty away from a potential WC semi/final in Qatar. You can discuss and debate and you want about the fortunate draws and runs we may/may not have had, home advantage, etc, but that doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. If we won the Euro’s by beating Lithuania in the final I wouldn’t give a shit. His football isn’t great and yes, a ‘better’ manager could probably get more out of the squad but a) who would that be and b) England being successful in a tournament with crap football beats tiki-taka but knocked out in the group ten times over. There’ll be maximum 7 games in this Euros, I can stomach tedious football for that long if it means a deep run/winning it. People are so quick to apply club management standards to international management and I don’t think it’s quite appreciated how different the two are and indeed how different the two should be viewed. Southgate was and probably still would be a crap PL manager, that doesn’t mean he’s a bad international manager.
I thought he should have gone after the last one, nothing since has changed my mind as yet. Just get the feeling everyone could do with a change. He has done a good job however, who knows. Maybe they will get it right at last.
I'll be watching Wales v Poland tonight , football under Southgate is just boring , just another manager who seems to be able to stifle the creativity available to him + the fact it's only a friendly & they'll be umpteen subs around the 60 minute mark though I will flick the highlights on a half time , if they're are any !
At some point we just need to accept that this is International football as a whole, its a far slower tempo and there's a lot less cohesion than club football for obvious reasons. Every England manager in my life time has been accused of stifling attacking talent. Every top end nation that has a lot of the ball play the same pedestrian like, rigid football.
I've said it to my plenty of my mates. You have Mancini managing England and Southgate managing Italy for the last Euro final, England would win. I think he's done a great job I'm bringing everyone together. Media onside, brilliant team morale. But he has two main downfalls: 1. He's too safe and loyal. He trusts players who have done a great job for him but can't let them go 2. Tactically he does struggle. When things aren't going our way he does not have the balls to make an early sub, or early tweak. He will sit there until the 60th minute and that's just time wasted Keep him of course in the summer. Fully aware this thread was made ages ago. But time to move on after.
apparently someone did the research and he's never made the first tactical sub in a match only ever if forced by injury
