BlueinBosnia wrote:Dimples wrote:Now without doubt Southgate is a plank.
Tonight's result means he is not getting sacked and England are now stuck with a witless manager who will be unable to build a side using a system that exploits their strengths i.e. an abundance of creative, attacking, speedy young players. Meaning England can never reach their true potential as long as Southgate remains.
But credit where it is due. His tactics beat Germany. Could easily win this competition. But long term England are fcuked.
Southgate is one game (against a knackered Ukraine) away from taking England to the semi-final of a third tournament. No England manager has ever done that.
He's the first England manager to win a game beyond a quarter final since Alf Ramsey in 1968.
If he gets to the final (which nobody sane would bet against), it'll be England's first since 1966.
Southgate has taken England from being the kind of team that beats Moldova and San Marino 8-0 and loses to Germany 1-0 to the kind that beats Moldova and San Marino 5-0 and beats Germany 1-0. I'm not saying he's a great manager, but he gets the job done more successfully than anyone that the FA has thrown tens of millions at over the past 20 years.
He is the Mourinho of international football
With the attacking riches at our disposal we could be like 1970 Brazil. Instead we are like Scotland under George Burley.
I think we have been spoiled to a certain degree by the talent on show in the PL and the superb football we see by a good number of teams week in week out.
As a fan base, do we want to see a win at all costs mentality with the path to this seemingly trodden by Southgate on the way to dour, turgid, defensive minded play? Or do we want to try and win the thing with a bit of style, panache, swagger which are the attributes that us and to a large extent the dippers have shown over the last five years?
Personally I am in the latter camp, but I am not a huge lover of international football. Maybe those fans who are more invested in it want success more?