Southgate...

We have the players, just led by the wrong man unfortunately

 

Didn't we say that for every tournament 1998 - 2014ish?

 

Sooner have Keith Hill than Boregate

 

People don't appreciate the difference between coaching at club and international level. Everyone accepts that it takes a manager months at club level to get players up to speed with their system and style of play, and that's when they're with them day in day out.

So it's entirely unrealistic to expect a manager who has the players here and there for a few days at a time to have them playing free flowing expansive attacking football regardless of how individually talented they all are. The reason Southgate has them playing pragmatic football is because in the time he has them that's probably the best way to at least create a team where everyone can reliably keep structure and shape and perform their role.

For the most part it's not thrilling or exciting but it is the way to do well.

 

Howe is the the new understated Brian Clough. Southgate is the Ron Greenwood, Winter bottom, Bobby Robson, Roy Hodgson.

We'll end up with Graham Potter after Southgate.

 

No

 

Was there last night and it was a hard watch, flat crowd, was sat wit the Malta fans who never stopped singing all night.

Personally I think we’ll win the euros next summer and if so he will go down as our best ever manger but a do think the time is right for him to step aside, every decision he makes is questioned which must be mentally hard. These group games by and by are played against 10 men behind the ball which is a nightmare.

As for next manager………..I genuinely don’t know, I’d maybe say Howe suits the F.A criteria as a ‘good lad’ but I think he’s got it good with the toon

 

Southgate has had long enough now to produce watchable football.

And to win something.

Last night was quite frankly diabolically bad. Can anyone seriously believe that there was anything in that performance that indicated the coach was competently using years of experience in the job to pick arrange and inspire the best English players available to him?

If it's got to me turning my back on watching England, in quiet desperation, then there really is something wrong.

Southgate talks a good ambassadorial game but that's about it. It's the way he has us playing that is defective, irrespective of the result.

For what it's worth I don't subscribe to the mantra of England having such a pool of talent that we ought to be thumping every team we play. We have depth in some areas but average players in others.

 

The players rate him highly.

 

I don't think anyone would do that much better tbh. Howe is the obvious shout but I don't think he's available for a few seasons yet.

I've always thought Steve Cooper might be a good shout. Got a decent record, and was once an FA man, won u17 world cup.

 

By the same token, I don't think anyone would do that much worse either.

In an ideal world I'd stick Ange Postecoglou in charge for a couple of years and see what happens.

He's transformed Spurs from day 1, which blows a hole in the idea that it takes months. Val came into our club and it didn't take months. Same with Stendel.

It's a coach's attitude and positivity that can bring players alive.

Southgate comforts them but doesn't challenge them.

In my opinion.

 

Some might say it, but that doesn't mean it's correct.

 

Well I've now posted a couple of opportunities for Southgate supporters to have a go back, so you're welcome to take a turn.

To factually add to my previous submissions:

During Southgate's reign we managed to lose 3 games in a row - the worst run of defeats for 30 years.

We also lost at home 4-0 to Hungary - the worst defeat at home for 94 years. In mitigation however Hungary were playing the Baggio that is Calum Styles in midfield.

You can use statistics to (like mine above) try and prove any particular point. But I could swallow a whole load of statistics that I didn't like if the coach was setting out to win rather than trying not to lose.

Even against Malta. Who managed to look as dangerous as us for quite a bit of the game.

 

Horrendous manager.

 

I don't know what's funnier about this thread, the suggestion that we should sack Gareth Southgate, or the idea that we should replace him with Eddie Howe.

 

France currently 7-0 up against 10 man Gibraltar after 40mins.
Uefa rankings....Malta 45th, Gibraltar 51st.
Not that it means owt.

 

Weird one for me because his record is outstanding, 2 world cup semi finals and a Euros final in 5 years makes him the most successful England manager in my Lifetime yet he has the feel of a loser and playing it too safe in the really big games. Got to give him respect for getting us to the big games though.

 

Pick the funny suggestion that we should sack Southgate, and tell us why we shouldn't.

 

If I recount correctly, our Euro 2020 voyage involved playing Croatia, Czech Republic and Scotland (who we couldn't beat) at Wembley.

We beat Germany at home, Ukraine at a neutral venue, then Denmark at home.

Then we lost to Italy in the final. At home.

That doesn't seem outstanding.

We haven't reached 2 World Cup semi finals under Southgate, as far as I remember.

 

I think he's been terrific, keep him on.