Gareth Southgate: The highs and lows of his England tenure

Gareth Southgate managed England for 102 matches crossed a adjacent 8 twelvemonth reign successful English football’s apical job.

Under his activity nan Three Lions won 61 games, drew 24 and mislaid 17, scoring 213 goals and conceding conscionable 72. His triumph ratio of 59.8% was not arsenic precocious arsenic Fabio Capello, Glenn Hoddle aliases Ron Greenwood but was a smidge higher than Sven Goran Eriksson.

What he did do amended than those others is he guided England to their first World Cup semi-final successful 28 years and reached their first ever European Championship Finals successful 2020 and 2024.

Let’s look astatine immoderate of nan highs and lows of his clip successful charge.

After 102 games and almost 8 years successful charge, Gareth Southgate has announced he is to time off his domiciled arsenic head of nan #ThreeLions.

— England (@England) July 16, 2024

Highs

We’ve sewage our England back

It’s adjacent to opportunity Gareth Southgate took complete astatine possibly nan lowest ebb successful history, erstwhile it comes to engagement pinch nan England National Football team.

At nan 2014 World Cup Roy Hodgson’s broadside had mislaid 2-1 to Italy, by nan aforesaid people to Uruguay and past drew 0-0 pinch Costa Rica. Hodgson irked galore pinch his connection that his broadside had knuckled down and fixed England fans ‘something to cheer’ successful nan stalemate which sealed their position astatine nan bottommost of nan group.

Euro 2016 was surely much dramatic, though not needfully successful a bully way. Russia nabbed an injury-time equaliser successful England’s opening game, Daniel Sturridge netted nan victor successful nan dying seconds against Wales and a goalless tie pinch Slovakia rounded-off nan group.

Iceland were adjacent up successful nan Round of 16 and England were up aft conscionable 4 minutes done Wayne Rooney’s penalty. What happened adjacent was 1 of nan darkest chapters successful English shot history. The minnows came backmost to triumph 2-1 and Hodgson was gone.

His replacement Sam Allarydce lasted conscionable 67 days and 1 lucifer earlier leaving nan domiciled aft an undercover investigation uncovered ‘inappropriate behaviour’ pinch regards to rules regarding subordinate transfers.

Southgate had been pinch nan FA since 2011 and had been under-21 coach since 2013. He had ruled himself retired of nan moving aft Hodgson’s departure but accepted nan interim domiciled aft Allardyce’s hasty departure connected a four-match basis.

They won two, including a triumph complete Scotland, and drew two, nan 2nd being a 2-2 tie against Spain successful which England led 2-0 until nan 89th infinitesimal – they were nan only goals they conceded crossed nan 4 matches. An early glimpse into his pragmatism successful nan role.

The players, however, loved turning up for world duty. With nan notable objection of Ben White, world breaks person been embraced by players from each nan apical clubs and Southgate is credited pinch fostering a club-like enslaved connected which overmuch of nan occurrence which follows has been built.

Southgate guided England to nan 2018 World Cup and nan remainder is history…

📅 England & Wales locked horns astatine Euro 2016 8 years agone today.

Joe Hart's correction saw Wales return nan lead done Gareth Bale — but Jamie Vardy's equaliser & Daniel Sturridge's 91st-minute onslaught earned triumph for Roy Hodgson's side.

📽️ @Englandpic.twitter.com/SAsfoxzhXn

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) June 16, 2024

On nan spot

England’s Round of 16 necktie astatine nan 2018 World Cup successful Moscow will not unrecorded agelong successful nan memory, but it’s epic conclusion will.

Harry Kane put England up done a 2nd half punishment but Yerry Mina’s 93rd-minute equaliser sent nan crippled to extra-time.

England regained their composure but neither broadside were capable to conjure a victor successful nan further play and nan crippled went to penalties.

The ghosts of six punishment shootout defeats successful 7 erstwhile opportunities astatine awesome tournaments swooped astir nan Spartak Stadium arsenic Jordan Henderson saw his spot-kick saved by David Ospina, nevertheless Mateus Uribe rattled nan crossbar from his effort to springiness nan Three Lions hope.

Jordan Pickford past wrote his sanction into folklore pinch a good prevention from Carlos Bacca’s effort allowing Eric Dier to drill location to triumph nan shootout and nonstop nan federation wild.

The triumph ushered successful a caller era for England, who went connected to hit Switzerland connected penalties successful nan 2019 Nations League and besides nan quarter-final of Euro 2024.

They mislaid conscionable 1 shootout of their 4 nether Southgate, albeit nan astir achy of all, losing 3-2 against Italy astatine Wembley successful nan last of Euro 2020.

Reminded of nan Jordan Pickford prevention successful nan shoot-out v Colombia successful nan World Cup.

I’m delighted to study that nether nan caller punishment law, this would person been LEGAL!!

See, it tin beryllium done 🙌👏 pic.twitter.com/Vm7N5jdgZp

— Arlo White (@arlowhite) June 19, 2019

The draws

It mightiness look a small unusual to not beryllium capable to prime retired immense occasions on nan measurement arsenic England worked their measurement into nan business extremity of 4 consecutive awesome world tournaments, nevertheless nan logic is they haven’t precisely had any.

Ok that mightiness sound churlish for a state which had gone past nan last-eight erstwhile successful nan 12 World Cups since 1966 (and still only doubly successful 18 World Cups successful total) and only erstwhile reached nan semi-finals successful 13 instillments of nan Euros.

But really, a 2-0 triumph complete Sweden successful Russia successful nan 2018 World Cup quarter-final? A 4-0 cruise against Ukraine successful nan last-eight of Euro 2020? A quarter-final against Switzerland (which they made difficult activity of, admittedly).

Some of England’s top achievements person travel against tier 2 teams, to beryllium kind.

The only footballing powerhouses England person really drawn successful their 13 knockout games nether Southgate were Germany, Italy, France and Spain. They saw-off nan worst German broadside for galore years successful nan Round of 16 successful 2021 but fell short successful nan different 3 matches.

The 9 different sides they were paired pinch successful knockouts?

Colombia, Sweden, Croatia, Ukraine, Denmark, Senegal, Slovakia, Switzerland and nan Netherlands.

Lows

Hungary

Yes it was ‘only’ nan Nations League, but June 2022 marked a turning constituent successful Southgate’s narration pinch England fans.

The strains of Southgate You’re The One were truthful large astatine nan 2018 World Cup and were still coming but somewhat much muted astatine Euro 2021, nevertheless they were each but gone by nan 2022 World Cup and that was successful ample portion owed to Hungary.

England began their tricky League A run pinch a 1-0 conclusion successful Budapest, courtesy of a second-half punishment from early Liverpool man Dominik Szoboszlai.

Ok. These things happen. However 10 days later England mislaid nan return limb 4-0. These things do not happen.

Roland Sallai’s early extremity gave nan visitors a lead they held until 20 minutes from time, erstwhile each hellhole collapsed loose. Sallai made it 2-0 connected nan break, Zsolt Nagy blasted a long-range 3rd 10 minutes later, John Stones was sent-off 2 minutes aft that and Daniel Gazdag added a 4th successful nan 89th minute.

It was England’s worst location conclusion since 1928, and made it 4 games without a triumph for nan first clip successful 8 years.

The England fans astatine Molineux that evening were not impressed, booing nan broadside disconnected and calling for Southgate’s dismissal, pinch chants of ‘you don’t cognize what you’re doing’ cascading from nan stands.

The winless tally extended to six successful their last 2 games earlier nan Qatar World Cup, which saw nan Three Lions decorativeness bottommost of their group and suffer relegation to League B.

England 0-4 Hungary
Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Never seen a worse location capacity from an England side. Complete and utter disgrace. Thanks for nan memories Southgate, but it's clip to go. You person wholly mislaid nan plot. #ENGvHUN pic.twitter.com/hqbRRZjNMH

— ßen (@BCAFCBH) June 14, 2022

France

The 2022 World Cup quarter-final betwixt England and France could truthful easy person ended up successful either precocious aliases debased section.

Southgate’s broadside put successful a spirited show against nan defending champions successful nan Al Bayt Stadium, bossing agelong stages of nan crippled and creating a big of chances, nevertheless they met a keeper successful inspired shape and yet fell short to travel location acold earlier than anyone would person wanted.

They fell down to Aurelien Tchouameni’s debased fizzer connected 17 minutes but aft a bully spell of England unit nan goalscorer brought down Bukayo Saka successful nan container allowing Harry Kane to slam a punishment past his past Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris connected 36 minutes.

Olivier Giroud headed France backmost into nan lead pinch 12 minutes remaining but Theo Hernandez’s foul connected sub Mason Mount connected 84 minutes gave Kane nan chance to equalise from nan spot erstwhile again, only to smash his punishment complete nan barroom arsenic France went done to play Morocco successful nan past four.

The devastation connected nan faces of Southgate and his squad was clear. This squad was amended than nan 1 which fell conscionable short of making nan last successful 2018, and they knew it. Morocco were inspired successful that tourney but England would person fancied themselves to unafraid a day pinch aged foes Argentina successful nan final, and then, who knows what conscionable mightiness person been possible…

Jude Bellingham was nan only England subordinate to comfortableness Kane for his punishment miss against France successful nan World Cup.

Never mobility his loyalty to his teammates.
pic.twitter.com/bVbjn0ZUky

— JBZ instrumentality (@JBellinghamZone) May 1, 2024

Wembley

In Berlin connected Sunday nighttime England mislaid nan Euro 2024 Final to nan amended team. Spain won their seventh consecutive tourney lucifer – unprecedented occurrence – and completed a run successful which they outclassed immoderate of nan games biggest powers successful nan shape of Croatia, Italy, Germany, France and past England.

Southgate’s dismay will beryllium deep, of course, England came very adjacent to landing a trophy fewer would reason they genuinely deserved.

Italy was different. The last of Euro 2020 – delayed a twelvemonth by covid, of people – was played astatine Wembley Stadium successful London. The day of July 12th, 2021, will person been circled connected calendars for months successful advance.

A location final. All England had to do was get there. And they did it. Some of it successful style, too. Croatia and Czech Republic were seen disconnected successful nan group, pinch Scotland drafting nan different game.

Old foes Germany were past brushed speech late-on astatine Wembley successful nan last-16 and Ukraine were pummelled 4-0 successful Rome successful nan quarter-final. Denmark made them activity for their extra-time triumph successful nan last-four and location England were, successful a first ever European Championship Final.

Luke Shaw’s extremity aft conscionable 2 minutes sent Wembley into a frenzy and nan agelong hold from July 30 1966 looked for illustration it mightiness beryllium over.

However they did not property location their advantage. Italy grew into nan crippled and equalised connected 67 minutes erstwhile Leonardo Bonucci fired successful amidst a scramble.

As 9 times previously, England’s destiny would beryllium decided by penalties. Marcus Rashford deed nan station and Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma meaning Jordan Pickford’s heroics were successful vain. It’s Coming Home, became It’s Coming to Rome.

Spain were excessively bully for England connected Sunday. France surely would person been excessively bully for England successful 2018, but make nary mistake, erstwhile his caput hits nan pillow, Italy astatine Wembley is nan 1 Gareth Southgate would really want back.

Brains complete brawn 🧠 pic.twitter.com/aM4bS0jCT2

— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) July 12, 2021