Farewell, Gareth Southgate – thank you for the memories
After leading England to two consecutive European Championship finals, 64 victories in 102 games, and an incredible eight years in charge, Gareth Southgate will go down in history as the nation’s second-most successful manager.
Southgate, an English football enthusiast, resigned from his position as the Three Lions’ captain after his team was denied a second opportunity to win a major championship. Fans stuck by their belief that Southgate was ‘the one’ even after the team advanced to the final of the Euro 2020 tournament, made history in the 2018 World Cup semi-final and now experienced a catastrophic ending to Euro 2024.
But now, if England is going to put a stop to decades and decades of suffering, it will be under a different leader.
The past few years have distorted Southgate’s image, emphasizing solely his failure to return football to England and win a big championship.
But Southgate’s tenure started long before Jude Bellingham and Kobe Maino arrived; throughout that time, he toiled to turn a group of underachievers into some of the most illustrious players in the world on the international scene.
Many bright lights found their way into the main team thanks to his time with the England Under-21s from 2013 to 2016. One of the great young players to excel under Southgate’s leadership during the elevation from the Young Lions to the Three Lions was Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, who scored six goals in the manager’s final game as head of the youth team, including a hat-trick. 1-1 victory vs Norway, a fantastic debut, and eventually a spot in the starting lineup.
Soon, Southgate and Rashford were ascending to the major leagues in unison, focused just on winning.
Everyone was taken aback when the England coach made his debut appearance in the first team. He had taken over as manager after Sam Allardyce was fired after just 67 days.
After two victories and two draws under the interim manager’s leadership, Southgate was quickly offered a four-year deal. After four games, Southgate went on to win eight years’ worth of titles and establish himself as one of the biggest names in English football.
However, the goal of the England national team is a poisoned chalice, and despite his successes, Southgate’s strategies are routinely criticized and mocked.
The country, which always seemed to play reactive rather than proactive, suffered from its cautious approach. This was illustrated once more this summer on the international scene in Germany, as England advanced to a second Euro final but lost there due to late replacements.
Beyond the pain, though, Southgate has given English supporters hope that football will return home eventually. His accomplishments are invaluable because they bring with them treasured memories of joy, grief, and longing from his time in the bunker.
As is always the case in football history, his rule will be remembered with nostalgia, and the long nights and occasionally lackluster performances will soon be forgotten by the supporters.
The Football Association has not yet announced Southgate’s replacement, but whoever wants to take over as manager of this magnificent country needs to be bold and ready to face challenges.
English football is rife with exceptional talent. With the Championship trophy in reach, an attacking lineup that features top scorer, Harry Kane of the Bundesliga, Bellingham, the winner of the Champions League, Foden, the winner of the Triple Crown, and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, to mention a few, is shouting success.
Although Southgate might not be the one to break through England’s losing streak, his football will always have a lasting impact.
