Gareth Southgate

[Rammy03]

7 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

Scotland was a weird one off game. Yes it was not great viewing but don't forget we did hit the post twice in that game as well so could easily have got another 1-0. 

I don't understand your complaining about Gareth. Do you honestly think there's a better option than Southgate at the moment?

So many England games over the years I have thought 'wish we could just grind out a 1-0 win here' then we end up losing. Just enjoy the tournament for what it is. 

I don't think as England fans we're in a position to complain. What have we won?I mean seriously, our history is none existent.

We're notoriously poor in tournaments and get knocked out as soon as we face a decent side.

That changed yesterday. This England team is changing things. This is as good as it's been in a long long time. Just enjoy it. Enjoy the good days. Because they don't come around all the time in football. Derby have taught me that.

[TigerTedd]

We might actually win this thing. Southgate will be in charge to take us into the World Cup, and I dare say, if we win this, we could be one of the favourites in that.

Imagine if we did a euros / World Cup double! Southgate would be an absolute legend, knighthood in the bag. 

but what’s funny is that I think he is a fairly mediocre manager. I think our players are so good, that even a mediocre manager, given a favourable draw, could win the euros. We’ve got world class players all over the pitch, and throughout the squad. 

I can’t shake this feeling that a truly elite manager would would have us winning most games 5-0. 

I think Southgate knows his limitations, and he’s clever enough to have come up with a solid plan of safety first. It’s not particularly entertaining, but it’s working, so why rock the boat, now to peer pressure and change.

At the end of the day, what more can he do than deliver a Euros / World Cup double. Does it really matter that we got there playing safety first football in every game? The total footballing Dutch never won anything. 

But I’ll always feel like, Southgate was just sort of in the right place at the right time and fell into the job. If we’d have actually gone and got an elite level manager, we’d be annihilating our opposition on a regular basis. Or we’d be knocked out in the semis in a blaze of glory. 

[Van der MoodHoover]

19 minutes ago, TigerTedd said:

We might actually win this thing. Southgate will be in charge to take us into the World Cup, and I dare say, if we win this, we could be one of the favourites in that.

Imagine if we did a euros / World Cup double! Southgate would be an absolute legend, knighthood in the bag. 

but what’s funny is that I think he is a fairly mediocre manager. I think our players are so good, that even a mediocre manager, given a favourable draw, could win the euros. We’ve got world class players all over the pitch, and throughout the squad. 

I can’t shake this feeling that a truly elite manager would would have us winning most games 5-0. 

I think Southgate knows his limitations, and he’s clever enough to have come up with a solid plan of safety first. It’s not particularly entertaining, but it’s working, so why rock the boat, now to peer pressure and change.

At the end of the day, what more can he do than deliver a Euros / World Cup double. Does it really matter that we got there playing safety first football in every game? The total footballing Dutch never won anything. 

But I’ll always feel like, Southgate was just sort of in the right place at the right time and fell into the job. If we’d have actually gone and got an elite level manager, we’d be annihilating our opposition on a regular basis. Or we’d be knocked out in the semis in a blaze of glory. 

I think the biggest risk is if we find ourselves actually chasing a goal. 

At the moment we're sitting in when not in possession and being very difficult to break down. Our early games had us starting quite quickly, pushing the wing backs up and getting a goal ahead. 

If someone bagged against us first so that the oppo could sit in then I'm not yet convinced of our ability to chase a goal. 

But who knows, maybe we won't need to find out this tournament. 

 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

8 hours ago, TigerTedd said:

We might actually win this thing. Southgate will be in charge to take us into the World Cup, and I dare say, if we win this, we could be one of the favourites in that.

Imagine if we did a euros / World Cup double! Southgate would be an absolute legend, knighthood in the bag. 

but what’s funny is that I think he is a fairly mediocre manager. I think our players are so good, that even a mediocre manager, given a favourable draw, could win the euros. We’ve got world class players all over the pitch, and throughout the squad. 

I can’t shake this feeling that a truly elite manager would would have us winning most games 5-0. 

I think Southgate knows his limitations, and he’s clever enough to have come up with a solid plan of safety first. It’s not particularly entertaining, but it’s working, so why rock the boat, now to peer pressure and change.

At the end of the day, what more can he do than deliver a Euros / World Cup double. Does it really matter that we got there playing safety first football in every game? The total footballing Dutch never won anything. 

But I’ll always feel like, Southgate was just sort of in the right place at the right time and fell into the job. If we’d have actually gone and got an elite level manager, we’d be annihilating our opposition on a regular basis. Or we’d be knocked out in the semis in a blaze of glory. 

I think you’ll struggle to convince an elite manager to work at international level these days.

[Ambitious]

13 hours ago, TigerTedd said:

We might actually win this thing. Southgate will be in charge to take us into the World Cup, and I dare say, if we win this, we could be one of the favourites in that.

Imagine if we did a euros / World Cup double! Southgate would be an absolute legend, knighthood in the bag. 

but what’s funny is that I think he is a fairly mediocre manager. I think our players are so good, that even a mediocre manager, given a favourable draw, could win the euros. We’ve got world class players all over the pitch, and throughout the squad. 

I can’t shake this feeling that a truly elite manager would would have us winning most games 5-0. 

I think Southgate knows his limitations, and he’s clever enough to have come up with a solid plan of safety first. It’s not particularly entertaining, but it’s working, so why rock the boat, now to peer pressure and change.

At the end of the day, what more can he do than deliver a Euros / World Cup double. Does it really matter that we got there playing safety first football in every game? The total footballing Dutch never won anything. 

But I’ll always feel like, Southgate was just sort of in the right place at the right time and fell into the job. If we’d have actually gone and got an elite level manager, we’d be annihilating our opposition on a regular basis. Or we’d be knocked out in the semis in a blaze of glory. 

International management is a completely different ball game to club management. You work with the players for a very small amount of time. It's almost impossible to have any impact in their professional development, which will be down to their managers and coaches at club level. It's then a case of coming up with tactics which aren't over-complicated and easy to get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet because of said time limitations. 

Southgate has created an environment that I can't remember any other manager being able to achieve for England. The cliques in the golden generation squad undermined everything that they could've achieved. Southgate seems to have everyone on the same page and pulling in the same direction. The fact that he's not Guardiola tactically really doesn't impact us that much, because it's hard to take players from 16 - Man City, Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Atletico, Villa, Leeds, Everton, Dortmund, West Ham, Brighton, Wolves,  Sheff Utd & West Brom - different teams and get them all playing to a fine tuned tailored game plan straight off the bat isn't plausible.

[Anag Ram]

13 hours ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

I think the biggest risk is if we find ourselves actually chasing a goal. 

At the moment we're sitting in when not in possession and being very difficult to break down. Our early games had us starting quite quickly, pushing the wing backs up and getting a goal ahead. 

If someone bagged against us first so that the oppo could sit in then I'm not yet convinced of our ability to chase a goal. 

But who knows, maybe we won't need to find out this tournament. 

 

The model seems to be keep it tight using the grunts then bring on the flair for cameos and fun.

If we did fall behind I would hope GS would be brave enough to give the likes of Foden and Sancho 30 minutes to weave their magic.

I hope we go back to a back four or rest one of Rice or Phillips. We need Mount’s tempo in midfield and Grealish starting alongside Kane and Sterling.

There’s also a case for Saka at left wing back rather than Shaw, who apart from the cross was pretty anonymous and often gets sucked in alongside three central defenders.

Germany were pretty average and whilst it’s great to beat them, every game from now on will be harder.

We’re still at 6 or 7 out of ten. We are capable of 9s. And that’s nice to think?

[TigerTedd]

18 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

The model seems to be keep it tight using the grunts then bring on the flair for cameos and fun.

 

That’s why it makes me laugh when people get so stressed out about the starting 11 - Why isn’t Grealish starting, grr - he’s ok the bench, the starting 11 have their job to do, and Grealish will get his chance if and when he’s needed to do his job. 

[TigerTedd]

6 hours ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I think you’ll struggle to convince an elite manager to work at international level these days.

I suppose you’re right. It reminds me of the problem Peter Jackson just have had casting for lord of the rings (stick with me on this convoluted analogy). He’s looking for good actors, but knows that the real Hollywood headliners aren’t going to to drop everything for a long term project in New Zealand.

it’s the same for the FA. They want a really good manager, but the best managers aren’t going to give up on the idea of managing in the champions league every year, and working with elite players on a daily basis, compared to seeing them once in a while and playing in a short tournament every 2 years as part of a long term project that could span a couple of world cups. 

[Ghost of Clough]

2 hours ago, TigerTedd said:

That’s why it makes me laugh when people get so stressed out about the starting 11 - Why isn’t Grealish starting, grr - he’s ok the bench, the starting 11 have their job to do, and Grealish will get his chance if and when he’s needed to do his job. 

Grealish on the field lifts the crowd which in turn lifts the team. 

[Chester40]

I still think Southgate is a mediocre manager. Lots of people very happy to paint him as some brave tactical genius now we have beaten Germany but that was an average team that we just about sneaked past. 

Seems a nice genuine bloke, who is very clever at answering difficult questions and has managed to bring a variety of players together in a harmonious squad. Perfect for the FA, no surprise they want him to sign up again. 

Personally I am at an age where winning isn't everything and I just want to enjoy football and feel we are incredibly drab to watch. My kids left the room having watched plenty of the other games. 

If he ever leaves England he will achieve nothing as a club manager. 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Chester40

[TigerTedd]

1 hour ago, Chester40 said:

I still think Southgate is a mediocre manager. Lots of people very happy to paint him as some brave tactical genius now we have beaten Germany but that was an average team that we just about sneaked past. 

Seems a nice genuine bloke, who is very clever at answering difficult questions and has managed to bring a variety of players together in a harmonious squad. Perfect for the FA, no surprise they want him to sign up again. 

Personally I am at an age where winning isn't everything and I just want to enjoy football and feel we are incredibly drab to watch. My kids left the room having watched plenty of the other games. 

If he ever leaves England he will achieve nothing as a club manager. 

I agree with most of that but… we haven’t won a major championship for so long, winning is everything in this case. I just want to win the thing. Portugal did it last time without winning a single game till the semis. They showed the way, but at least we’re not that boring. 

[Rammy03]

11 hours ago, Chester40 said:

Personally I am at an age where winning isn't everything and I just want to enjoy football and feel we are incredibly drab to watch.

Really? I'm guessing you've never seen England win anything and you just want nice football? I couldn't care less about the style of play, this is a tournament. They don't come around very often, I just want England to win. 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Rammy03

[Chester40]

26 minutes ago, Rammy03 said:

Really? I'm guessing you've never seen England win anything and you just want nice football? I couldn't care less about the style of play, this is a tournament. They don't come around very often, I just want England to win. 

Really.

The intense tribalism I felt as a kid has definitely waned. It's a sport to be enjoyed now rather than any extension of me. 

I love the Olympics and watching a Usain Bolt win gives me pleasure even if he's not English. Same with the Tour de France, great when Froome was winning (even though he himself never felt British) but I still watch and enjoy it regardless. 

So..yes it adds spice if they are English but it's not the be all anymore. 

My kids are also much less bothered than I am...they like watching Mbappe or Neymar do tricks, they love Juventus kits...the world seems a smaller place to them. 

[1of4]

54 minutes ago, Chester40 said:

Really.

The intense tribalism I felt as a kid has definitely waned. It's a sport to be enjoyed now rather than any extension of me. 

I love the Olympics and watching a Usain Bolt win gives me pleasure even if he's not English. Same with the Tour de France, great when Froome was winning (even though he himself never felt British) but I still watch and enjoy it regardless. 

So..yes it adds spice if they are English but it's not the be all anymore. 

My kids are also much less bothered than I am...they like watching Mbappe or Neymar do tricks, they love Juventus kits...the world seems a smaller place to them. 

So when we play the gumps you don't feel any tribalism, you're happy to watch a pleasurable game. I'm sorry but football is all about tribalism. Like @Rammy03  I want my team to win, if they can do it playing exciting football all the better. But ultimately I want to see us win

[JoetheRam]

19 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

So when we play the gumps you don't feel any tribalism, you're happy to watch a pleasurable game. I'm sorry but football is all about tribalism. Like @Rammy03  I want my team to win, if they can do it playing exciting football all the better. But ultimately I want to see us win

It really isn't. Tribalism is a stain on football.

I used to think it's what football was about, but then I grew up. 

Tribalism leads to hate, leads to violence, leads to sad old men shouting disgusting things at other people.

Enjoy the game, enjoy supporting your team, enjoy cheering them on, but not at the expense of daft "anti-the other" sentiment.

I want England to win, sure, but if they don't, it's no matter. Other things are more important. Representing your nation well, respecting the game, the opposition, the officials, other supporters.

One love.

[RoyMac5]

3 minutes ago, JoetheRam said:

Tribalism leads to hate, leads to violence, leads to sad old men shouting disgusting things at other people.

Why does it?

[Eddie]

5 minutes ago, JoetheRam said:

It really isn't. Tribalism is a stain on football.

I used to think it's what football was about, but then I grew up. 

Tribalism leads to hate, leads to violence, leads to sad old men shouting disgusting things at other people.

Enjoy the game, enjoy supporting your team, enjoy cheering them on, but not at the expense of daft "anti-the other" sentiment.

I want England to win, sure, but if they don't, it's no matter. Other things are more important. Representing your nation well, respecting the game, the opposition, the officials, other supporters.

One love.

[JoetheRam]

7 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Why does it?

I don't know. Humans innit?

[sage]

On 30/06/2021 at 16:52, TigerTedd said:

We might actually win this thing. Southgate will be in charge to take us into the World Cup, and I dare say, if we win this, we could be one of the favourites in that.

Imagine if we did a euros / World Cup double! Southgate would be an absolute legend, knighthood in the bag. 

but what’s funny is that I think he is a fairly mediocre manager. I think our players are so good, that even a mediocre manager, given a favourable draw, could win the euros. We’ve got world class players all over the pitch, and throughout the squad. 

I can’t shake this feeling that a truly elite manager would would have us winning most games 5-0. 

I think Southgate knows his limitations, and he’s clever enough to have come up with a solid plan of safety first. It’s not particularly entertaining, but it’s working, so why rock the boat, now to peer pressure and change.

At the end of the day, what more can he do than deliver a Euros / World Cup double. Does it really matter that we got there playing safety first football in every game? The total footballing Dutch never won anything. 

But I’ll always feel like, Southgate was just sort of in the right place at the right time and fell into the job. If we’d have actually gone and got an elite level manager, we’d be annihilating our opposition on a regular basis. Or we’d be knocked out in the semis in a blaze of glory. 

If only Southgate was truly elite.

?

[AndyinLiverpool]

54 minutes ago, sage said:

If only Southgate was truly elite.

?

He's a joke, apparently.