European Football Championship - Adventurers on the Roller Coaster: Southgate before Happy End
Gareth Southgate being referred to as a "ruthless adventurer" during this football EUROs championship might not have been something he would have thought of himself. Apart from his own team, Southgate had everyone against him: the media, experts in England, experts in Germany, and even the fans. The latter threw beer mugs towards Southgate at the end of a very dull group stage.
However, with the thrilling 2:1 semi-final win against the Netherlands, where he brought on both the goalscorer Ollie Watkins and the assist provider Cole Palmer, it seems Southgate has finally rehabilitated himself. The "Technocrat" is yesterday's news, the "adventurer" is today's. The "Guardian" described Southgate's decisions as "confusing, but brilliant," as England stands a chance to win their first major title outside the British Isles since 1966 against Spain on Sunday (21.00 Uhr/ARD and MagentaTV).
Great achievements, little respect
Prince William's prediction before the team's departure for Germany has come true. "He said it would be a rollercoaster and that this tournament would just be brutal," midfielder Declan Rice recounted about William's words. In the midst of the rollercoaster ride: The pragmatic Chief Coach Southgate, whom some fans would have liked to replace even before the Round of 16. And yet, he could bring the Silver Cup back to the homeland with great morale after three grueling knockout matches.
Southgate is the most successful English head coach since Alf Ramsey, the World Cup winner. The 53-year-old ex-pro has received extremely little respect on the island, given his achievements. Fans miss the spectacular performances, and experts frequently criticized his cautious approach. The billion-dollar team could do so much more, they argue against Southgate.
"We would do anything to protect this coach"
The team stands united behind the man who took over in 2016 and has led England at least to the quarterfinals ever since. No other European nation managed to achieve this in the past few years. "We would do anything to protect this trainer," said Rice after the quarterfinal against Slovakia, which was saved only by a handball from Jude Bellingham in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Southgate was still about 90 seconds away from the end of his eight-year tenure at that point.
Luke Shaw expressed similar sentiments as Rice. "I don't understand the criticism of him. He has done so much for our country and us players, he has taken us to a new level. No trainer in the recent past has been as successful as him," said the left-back, who is close to Southgate. The trainer also enjoys a particularly close relationship with his long-term companions like captain Harry Kane, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and central defender John Stones.
The question of his future, however, still hovers over the team. At least from the FA's perspective, the direction seems clear: The FA intends to extend Southgate's contract - regardless of the outcome of the Spain game. FA boss Mark Bullingham is a strong supporter of Southgate, who still has a contract until the end of the year.
The remaining five months, however, are more theoretical in nature. Either Southgate leaves after the EUROs and paves the way for a rebuild. Or the 53-year-old stays and continues his tenure - but not just until the end of the year, but until the World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. It's emotionally impossible for him to make a "logical decision" at the moment, said Southgate in a Sky interview.
Southgate's departure even if England wins?
Before the tournament, Southgate gave relatively open interviews to international media, including "Bild" and "Süddeutsche Zeitung." "If we don't win, I'll probably not be here anymore. It might have been the last chance. I believe that after a tournament, about half of the national coaches leave – that's just the nature of international football," Southgate said.
He couldn't keep putting himself in the spotlight after eight years and asking for more chances. Given the intensity of criticism and the shaky performance at the EURO, Southgate's departure was a realistic option even with a title win.
Southgate: He is used to being sorted into extreme cabinets after big games as a professional, a trend that continued during his tenure as a coach. A look at significant England matches, most of which involved penalty shootouts:
European Championship Semifinal 1996
Few professionals have gained as much prominence for a missed penalty as Southgate. The defender took the brunt of the criticism after England's semifinal elimination against Germany in the penalty shootout. He handled the ridicule with humor in a pizza commercial, where he joked with 1990s penalty missers Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle. But the missed penalty weighed heavily on him.
"The missed penalty will probably be the defining moment in my career. Many people who tried to console me said: You'll see, it'll pass. But it doesn't pass. With what performance do I make up for it?", Southgate once told "Süddeutsche Zeitung." Sunday would be the perfect opportunity.
World Cup Round of 16 2018
England lost five penalty shootouts in a row from 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006, and 2012. Then came Southgate – as a coach. He approached the topic scientifically and founded a task force that focused on the players' breathing techniques. In the World Cup round of 16 against Colombia, England finally won a penalty shootout after 22 years.
European Championship Final 2021
The healed penalty world didn't last long, and Southgate was once again blamed for the loss against Italy in the final. In Wembley Stadium, Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka, and Marcus Rashford all missed penalties, with Southgate having brought them on explicitly for the shootout.
World Cup Quarterfinals 2022
England versus France in Qatar was considered the clash of European giants. The Three Lions held their own but were ultimately defeated 1:2 after Harry Kane missed a penalty in regular time. The nation was quick to agree: This coach deserved the trust until the next EURO in Germany.
European Championship Semifinal 2024
And at this tournament, Southgate led England to their third final in the country's history. Following Ramsey 1966 and Southgate 2021, Southgate 2024 became the second successful attempt at this feat for generations before him. The former player exulted before the 20,000 English fans in Dortmund. "One more! One more!", he shouted towards the officials. Another victory – then his penalty from 1996 would be completely overshadowed.
- Despite being referred to as a "ruthless adventurer" during the European Football Championship, Gareth Southgate faced criticism from various sources in England and Germany.
- England's thrilling 2:1 semi-final win against the Netherlands, featuring goalscorer Ollie Watkins and assist provider Cole Palmer, has helped rehabilitate Southgate's image.
- According to Declan Rice, Prince William predicted that the tournament would be a rollercoaster, and it certainly has been.
- Jude Bellingham salvaged England's quarterfinal against Slovakia with a handball in the fifth minute of stoppage time, keeping Southgate's tenure alive.
- Gareth Southgate is the most successful English head coach since Alf Ramsey, but he has received little respect at home due to critics' complaints about his cautious approach.
- VAR saved Southgate from potentially ending his tenure early during the quarterfinal against Slovakia, as England was about to be eliminated.
- Despite the criticism, Southgate enjoys a close relationship with key players like captain Harry Kane, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and central defender John Stones.
- FA boss Mark Bullingham supports Southgate's extension and will likely offer him a new contract, regardless of the outcome of the final against Spain.
- If Southgate chooses to extend his contract, he could lead England through the World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
- Southgate's future depends on whether he chooses to stay after the EUROs or leave for a potential rebuild, but his absence has never been a certainty, even with a title win.
- Gareth Southgate has faced scrutiny for major England matches, such as the 1996 European Championship semifinal and the 2018 World Cup round of 16, most notably for missed penalties.
