47 | Phil Foden - 2023/24

[super_city_si]

Would love Phil to retire from international football- it's shit anyway.

What Southgate has done is a massive management no, no. You've basically got a journo questioning his competence with selection and using the squad he has at his disposal to its best capabilities- and what Southgate has done, he's turned it into Phil's (/Peps) problem, the absolute coward.

I wonder if Foden is fuming, I would be going ballistic.

For someone who is lauded for his man management, this is not the first time he's hung Phil out to dry in the media. Foden should tell him to fuck off.

I'd love to see Pep step in and defend Phil but he's too classy to get involved.

I think the problem is that Southgate see's center midfield as playing 3 yards in front of the center backs. There is no attacking midfield in his philosophy

 

[Sartorial_Stonesy]

For someone who is lauded for his man management, this is not the first time he's hung Phil out to dry in the media. Foden should tell him to fuck off.

I'd love to see Pep step in and defend Phil but he's too classy to get involved.

I think the problem is that Southgate see's center midfield as playing 3 yards in front of the center backs. There is no attacking midfield in his philosophy

Would be COSMIC if Pep came out and handed Gareth and verbal volley. But I agree and altho it's fkin boring, don't think it is in Citys best interest for us to start beefing the England manager

 

[FantasyIreland]

Would love Phil to retire from international football- it's shit anyway.

I disagree with the above,its only shit because this **** has made it so.

Under a progressive tactician who can recognise the best players at his disposal,we would be a joy to watch.......a bonus for football fans rather than a nuisance and a bore - we would be something the countries football fans deserve.

I used to adore watching England under Venables and Robson.

 

[Centurions]

This is the wildest part of it for me. Sorry… is Pep managing the England team?!

What an absolutely crazy admission of complete inadequacy to be outsourcing your decisions to another manager. Imagine if I went into my work and was like “oh yeah, I’m not making that report because Dave from accounts thinks it’s better to do it at the end of the month.”

Pep is the greatest manager of our generation but he’s not a fucking god emperor that insists the England manager should acquiesce immediately to his way of thinking - subservient bollocks. More like Gareth Cuckgate.

I presume he's been questioned about Pep taking on the England manager position, and if not he's read about it. He's coming across as a mard arse is Southgate I'm afraid.

 

[Blue Feather]

I disagree with the above,its only shit because this **** has made it so.

Under a progressive tactician who can recognise the best players at his disposal,we would be a joy to watch.......a bonus for football fans rather than a nuisance and a bore - we would be something the countries football fans deserve.

I used to adore watching England under Venables and Robson.

A great man but I remember plenty of games under Bobby where he and the team looked clueless. Venables was charmed, didn't have to qualify for Euro 96, decent set of players but struggled against the Swiss and got lucky against Scotland and Spain. Walked/pushed afterwards but always a bit of a myth for me and vastly over-rated at club and international level. Not sure how good England really are but I certainly don't rate Southgate, not least for his 'intelligent' sounding sneering hypocrisy

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

I disagree with the above,its only shit because this **** has made it so.

Under a progressive tactician who can recognise the best players at his disposal,we would be a joy to watch.......a bonus for football fans rather than a nuisance and a bore - we would be something the countries football fans deserve.

I used to adore watching England under Venables and Robson.

Both of them coaches whose teams were well worth watching, due to their ability to get the best out of their players and who were not afraid of changing things tactically .Both of progressive and knowledgeable coaches and man managers .

Now we have a " coach " with the tactical acumen and ambition which can only produce performances which are are the combined equivalent of watching paint dry.

 

[Eds]

The media should be asking themselves that if Southgate wasn't manager of England who would employ him in the PL. Not even sure the rags would want him. When at Boro he finished 12th, 13th and then relegated. How the fuck did that get him the England job?

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

The media should be asking themselves that if Southgate wasn't manager of England who would employ him in the PL. Not even sure the rags would want him. When at Boro he finished 12th, 13th and then relegated. How the fuck did that get him the England job?

Arse licked his way through the selection process .

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Media schmedia ! Football is played won and lost on grass , not paper or web pages. If our players play well for all to see , and we win games , often playing against 12 opponents , all is well,and I couldn't give a damn what the media say/print

The hate for our football club is generated by the media , i wear my shirt with pride but unfortunately it does sometimes attract hate and jealousy and some comments about our club cheating which has led to confrontations , so you might not be bothered about what the media say , but i do.

 

[bluenova]

The media should be asking themselves that if Southgate wasn't manager of England who would employ him in the PL. Not even sure the rags would want him. When at Boro he finished 12th, 13th and then relegated. How the fuck did that get him the England job?

I can see your point, but not sure I agree. It's a very different job, and a team builder like Southgate probably suits the role.

Pep is one of the best of all time, but some players still need the best part of a season to understand his systems. There's no way that kind of control could be coached to an ever changing selection of players that you only have a handful of session with over a season.

International football hasn't been thrilling for many years - Even Brazil recognised thirty years ago that expansive and exciting teams don't win trophies any more, and most internationals are playing simple, conservative systems.

For years, we used to hear about England players hating being part of the squad, and factions based on teams not talking to each other. Southgate has managed for seven years seemingly without much bitterness between players, or bitterness towards him. That's pretty impressive, and given that England reached a semi and a final in that time, it's clear why he's still in the job.

Ideally, you'd want someone who has those kind of man management skills, but also has a few tricks up his sleeves. I suspect Pep would find a way to do something different with minimum training, but I doubt there are many other managers in the world who could, and I am not convinced Pep's intensity would keep an international squad happy for any length of time.