AFP National coach Gareth Southgate thanks the crowd following the lost European Championship final
NOS Voetbal•dinsdag, 12:11
Gareth Southgate is stepping down as coach of the English national football team. This was announced by the FA. The 53-year-old Englishman has been in charge of the national team since 2016. It is not yet clear who will succeed him.
Under Southgate’s leadership, England reached the final of the European Championship twice in a row. England lost the final 2-1 to Spain on Sunday. In 2021, Italy proved too strong on penalties at home.
“It has been an honour to lead the national team,” Southgate wrote in a statement. “We have the best fans in the world and their support means a lot to me. But it is time for a change and a new chapter.”
Two finals
In his eight years as national coach, Southgate led England to three semi-finals and two finals in four major tournaments. At the 2018 World Cup, England finished fourth, at the Qatar World Cup, the quarter-finals were the final destination. At the previous two European Championships, England were losing finalists.
AFPGareth Southgate walks disappointedly past the European Championship Cup, which was won by Spain
Although performances under the former international (as a defender Southgate made 57 appearances for the national team) were fine, criticism was never far away for the tame, wait-and-see football he allowed his players to play.
Southgate also received a lot of criticism during the last European Championship. After the 0-0 draw in the group match with Slovenia, he even had plastic cups thrown at his head by disgruntled fans. However, following the win once morest the Dutch and reaching the European Championship final, the sentiment in England changed once more.
Cultural transformation
“We look back on his tenure with immense pride,” said association chairman Mark Bullingham in a statement. “His significant contribution to player development and cultural transformation has been unique.”
With the latter, the chairman of the association refers to Southgate’s working methods. For example, the national coach wrote personal letters to all players and staff members, organised group discussions with a psychologist and sent an open letter to the country in turbulent times before the previous European Championship.
Southgate’s scientific approach was also new to the English. He made a study of previous champions, which is why keeping a clean sheet became sacred and there was a lot of focus on set pieces.
