Gareth Southgate’s Future Uncertain After England’s Euro 2024 Final Defeat
England manager Gareth Southgate has indicated that now is not the time to decide on his future following England’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday.
Southgate, 53, who has been at the helm since 2016, sees his current contract expiring in December. When asked about his future, he told the BBC, “Now is not the time for me to speak about that. I need to talk to the right people and give myself a bit of time. To get to another final… it was a privilege to have the opportunity. But to come up short is hard at the moment.”
Under Southgate’s guidance, England have reached back-to-back European Championship finals, as well as the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup. Despite this impressive record, he faced criticism during the tournament in Germany, especially after a 0-0 draw with Slovenia in the group stage led to frustrated fans throwing plastic cups at him.
“The players will take enormous credit for getting us to where we did, but when you’re as close as that, you have to take your chance,” Southgate told ITV. “They have represented the shirt with pride and haven’t been beaten until the very end. I just think Spain had more control of the game.”
Southgate acknowledged the promising future for England, stating, “England are in a really good position in terms of the experience they have. Most of this squad will be around for the next World Cup and maybe the next Euros. There’s a lot to look forward to but at this moment, it’s not any consolation.”
Reflecting on his eight years in charge, Southgate admitted it was “hard to reflect” but expressed confidence in England’s potential for future success. “Of course, to take England to two finals has never been done, but we came here to win and we haven’t been able to do that. England have some fabulous players. We have been consistently back in the matches that matter. It’s the last step we haven’t been able to do.”
Support And Criticism For Southgate
England captain Harry Kane expressed the team’s support for Southgate, saying, “The players love the manager and they wanted so badly to win it for him.” However, England’s consecutive losses in the Euros finals and Southgate’s record as the first manager to lose twice have led to some calls for change.
Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC One, “I suspect it will be Southgate’s last game. There will be great disappointment at home. They could have played more attacking football but they got to the final. But when you are there, you have got to get over the line.”
Gary Lineker, speaking on BBC One, suggested that Southgate “may have had enough” of the “tough, gruelling job.” Meanwhile, former defender Rio Ferdinand stated that Southgate “has to take some stick” for England’s defeats in the finals. “You have to look at what talent pool we have and I don’t feel like we are putting them in the best position possible,” Ferdinand added. “The Football Association (FA) has got a big decision to make.”
Praise and Hope for the Future
Despite the criticism, Southgate has significant support within the squad. England forward Ollie Watkins told BBC Radio 5 Live, “This group of lads are such a tight-knit group. Since he has come in, he has been the most successful England manager there is – he deserves a lot more praise than what he gets. I would have loved to win as he deserves it more than anyone.”
Former England defender Matt Upson acknowledged the difficulties, noting, “It has been difficult as there has not been a clear style or plan. Gareth has made a lot of good calls but when you compare it to Spain and how they go about attacking this tournament and taking it apart – it is night and day.”
As England looks ahead, the FA faces a significant decision regarding Southgate’s future. Despite the heartbreak in Berlin, the hope remains that England’s promising squad can build on their experiences and achieve success in upcoming tournaments.
