[Football] So we're stuck with a failed Middlesbrough manager until Dec 2024.............

[Binney on acid]

Couldn't we have done better ?

 

[Weststander]

Sealing:

Dunk’s fate - a single cap.

Mings - he should hit 80+ caps. Joining an elite including Cole, Moore, Lineker, Robson, Owen, Shilton, Charlton.

 

[Eeyore]

Couldn't we have done better ?

Considering no-one before has ever done better, then probably no.

Not seen an England team that plays for their manager as much as this one, regardless of tactical flaws. And that is most of the battle.

If two semi-finals and a final is not good enough then folk don't need to ask why others see us the Leeds United of the international football world.

 

[Easy 10]

Nobody is ever going to agree 100% with his selections, least of all me. There's flawed logic many a time, and he's been caught like a rabbit in the headlights both times in the WCSF and the ECF, failing to react or do anything to turn the tide from a position of early superiority.

But he's taken us deep in both tournaments, which we've qualified comfortably for as well as the upcoming one. There's a calmness and harmony around the squad that he's engendered. The players like and respect him, and he seems to have made playing for England far less of a chore than it seemed to be under his predecessors. In fact, the likes of Kane and Maguire seem to revel in the break from club football it gives them.

I'm happy he's staying on, he seems well cut out for it. To anyone grizzling - who would YOU rather have ?

 

[Baldseagull]

Couldn't we have done better ?

England have performed about as well as they could have been expected to since he has had the reins. I think he is alright, and comes across as a decent human being.
Who were you hoping for?

 

[um bongo molongo]

Nobody is ever going to agree 100% with his selections, least of all me. There's flawed logic many a time, and he's been caught like a rabbit in the headlights both times in the WCSF and the ECF, failing to react or do anything to turn the tide from a position of early superiority.

But he's taken us deep in both tournaments, which we've qualified comfortably for as well as the upcoming one. There's a calmness and harmony around the squad that he's engendered. The players like and respect him, and he seems to have made playing for England far less of a chore than it seemed to be under his predecessors. In fact, the likes of Kane and Maguire seem to revel in the break from club football it gives them.

I'm happy he's staying on, he seems well cut out for it. To anyone grizzling - who would YOU rather have ?

Given the obvious replacement is Potter, I’m very happy he’s signed an extension

 

[Easy 10]

Given the obvious replacement is Potter, I’m very happy he’s signed an extension

I'd say Potter is a LONG way from being "obvious". A couple of successful relegation scraps with a small PL club is hardly a golden ticket to St Georges Park.

And yes, Southgates club CV was hardly spectacular either, but he did get 60-odd caps for England, run the U21s for several years and so already had his feet firmly under the England desk. I don't think we need fret about GP getting poached. Anyway, even if he WAS on the FA's radar, its not like BHA would stand in his way if he fancied it (which I doubt he would).

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Who were you hoping for?

Bielsa, obviously

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Nobody is ever going to agree 100% with his selections, least of all me. There's flawed logic many a time, and he's been caught like a rabbit in the headlights both times in the WCSF and the ECF, failing to react or do anything to turn the tide from a position of early superiority.

But he's taken us deep in both tournaments, which we've qualified comfortably for as well as the upcoming one. There's a calmness and harmony around the squad that he's engendered. The players like and respect him, and he seems to have made playing for England far less of a chore than it seemed to be under his predecessors. In fact, the likes of Kane and Maguire seem to revel in the break from club football it gives them.

I'm happy he's staying on, he seems well cut out for it. To anyone grizzling - who would YOU rather have ?

Pretty much sums up my thoughts.

Some of his squad selections are inexplicable and he doesn't seem to have the ability to affect a game once it's started but his plus points outweigh the negatives. It's pretty hard to argue convincingly against his record. A semi final and then a final in back to back tournaments. That's more than we achieved in the previous TWENTY FOUR tournaments.

Yes, ideally I'd like to see a more adventurous approach with greater use of our plethora of attacking options but if he can't figure a way to maximise them then what he's doing is fine.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

Yeah, happy with Gareth at the helm, not least because it's a refreshing change to listen to an intelligent and empathetic football manager. Can you imagine that toad Allardyce opining on the Knee?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

At least we’ve moved away from scouring Europe for Capellos and Erikssons to manage our national team to nowhere.

 

[BadFish]

It's a good from me. I haven't enjoyed watching England this much for years.

Aside from him being ex Palace and him not rating Dunk as much as us I am not really sure what there is to complain about to be honest.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Considering no-one before has ever done better, then probably no.

Maybe actually winning the World Cup doesn't count as it was before 'modern football' and the Premier League?

 

[Swansman]

Mings or no Mings, Dunk or no Dunk... would be weird not to extend with him after those results.

 

[Guinness Boy]

First manager to get us to a World Cup semi since 1990, first to get us to a Euro Final ever. Qualified for every big tournament. Nations League final four. Based on that he absolutely had to get a contract extension. He's incredibly successful in terms of results.

He's had some easy draws, played some dire stuff to watch at times and continues to select Mings, but on the contra he's had a ridiculously talented squad to try to shoehorn into an XI, especially considering all the good ones are either right (wing) backs or wide attacker / CAMs.

Plus it stops those deluded souls on here who were convinced Potter was going there straight after Qatar getting out the worry beads.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

He is a poor tactician and the team selection at times(all the time) can be very questionable but what Southgate does extremely well, is make the England squad play for each other, which no manager has done in a very long time. With the quality of players we have, that alone can get you a long way(past 2 tournaments have proved this).

 

[Dave the OAP]

I am not that upset over this. He has a decent squad mixture of young and experienced players.

Yes some brighton fans think dunk should be in there, but there are a few centre backs in front of him and he is on the wrong side of age. Certainly lamptey will be our one player who would get near the squad, but let’s hope his injuries do not hamper his progression as he is a genuine young talent.

If sancho gets more game time, him, sako and Bellingham could be the missing class we need to start winning trophy’s. 1 trophy for a country like ours is really poor

 

[Silverhatch]

Think GS has done OK - but he could do better if he just refined the club England model and DID pick players in form or at least acknowledge that some England players are wretchedly out of form - especially when it comes to actual tournament football where the greatest teams will ultimately target and expose poor individual form.

PS. The most ludicrous issue is around player age. Players peak at different times. Pick players in outstanding form to Win in Qatar (spit) be it Dunk, Tarkowski or Ben Mee rather than a misfiring Maguire, Mings, Stones who WILL get found out if they’re bang off it.

 

[dazzer6666]

I'd say Potter is a LONG way from being "obvious". A couple of successful relegation scraps with a small PL club is hardly a golden ticket to St Georges Park.

And yes, Southgates club CV was hardly spectacular either, but he did get 60-odd caps for England, run the U21s for several years and so already had his feet firmly under the England desk. I don't think we need fret about GP getting poached. Anyway, even if he WAS on the FA's radar, its not like BHA would stand in his way if he fancied it (which I doubt he would).

I’m not so sure - Potter has the temperament, the integrity, the coaching background, backing from Ashworth, approach to youth etc so ticks a lot of FA boxes and listening to his views recently sounds like it’s possibly an ambition of his one day. Happy to leave it with Southgate for a while yet just in case………..

 

[Insel affe]

Contract extensions mean very little if results don't go our way, all very well hammering San Marino 10-0 but he has been found tactically inept when it matters, and unforgiveable putting so much pressure on those young lads to come on and win the Euros for us, reckless decision.

I do not rate Southgate at all, but luckily for him, we have a great berth of talent, combined with easy qualification groups, a massive stroke of luck when Muller missed, and an easy ride through to the final. He let us down in the final with his tactical ineptitude, i am still angry...