Gareth Southgate

[RayCTID]

I heard that live on the radio.

It wasn't reported kindly.

Hoddle was basically saying how he would see the ill or disabled and wonder how his God would allow it. He was trying to fit that in with his strong religious beliefs. If he'd left it at that it probably would have been fine. But then he tried to fit in the idea of maybe it being due to something from a previous life.

Obviously that caused a bit of fuss. He certainly wasn't meaning to sound cruel though, but when it was reported and you just read the words in print......

It is still a negative comment towards the disabled.

 

[mattcity5]

Sorry but it’s just so funny seeing people who get angry about the FIFA world rankings every time they come out suddenly pretend they actually matter how they sort of (but not actually) help your argument.

Southgate is Englands most successful manager in 50 years, fact.

If you can’t admit that no FA would ever fire their most successful manager in living memory because they *only* achieved the best results in 50 years then perhaps you need to recognise you’ve lost all sense of rationality about Southgate.

Not all those teams have had the same quality of player.

Southgate's had a pretty strong squad.

He's managed to not let us down. That's all really. We've not entered tournament and done worse than expected. We have usually though been found out as soon as we've played a top country.

It does make a change not underperforming though. He found a way to at least not do that, mainly by being safe, defensive and making sure we didn't fuck up.

To go further than that though, we need to find a way to impose ourselves on the game more against the best countries. Maybe someone else can manage that, maybe not. I'm hoping we get a chance to find out.

 

[mattcity5]

It is still a negative comment towards the disabled.

It is, yes.

Always thought he was a bit of a twat anyway regardless of those comments tbh.

 

[remember arthur mann]

So getting to the final playing turgid football and losing to the first decent side we met is classed as a success. If Georgia had had our favourable draw I would have fancied them to get to the final. And they would have made more of a fist of trying to win the final. I just hope to God we install a manager that has some passion, and doesn`t wear a bloody waistcoat.

 

[cheekybids]

The 'most succesful manager in 50 years' argument is too simplistic.

The PL's commercial success has brought about an influx of top foreign coaches and players which has had a massive positive influence on English football.

The PL academies are churning out large numbers of technically gifted players who are the equal of any other country.

Globally it seems that the gap between the traditional giants (Germany, Italy, Brazil etc.) and the minnows is greatly reduced.

All these factors have almost guaranteed that England will go deep into major tournaments.

This is the situation that GS found himself in and in crude statistical terms it gave him a huge advantage over previous England managers like Robson, Taylor etc.

I don't hate GS, I pity him. He was clearly out of his depth and while I wish him well, I'm glad he's gone.

In my lifetime WC qualification groups have gone from 3 teams playing a total of 4 games & less countries to more teams & seedings fixed & play offs ensuring it’s almost impossible not to qualify.

In 74 Poland edged us with Wales 3rd
In 78 Italy edged on goal dif cos they scored more vs Luxembourg
In 82 we qualified & won every group game v France, Romania & Kuwait & rewarded in the next round, group of 3 including Germany & Spain. We drew both & were out with 3 wins & 2 draws.
In 86 we lost to Maradonas Argentina & 90 on pens in the semi to champions Germany.
In 94 we missed out to fantastic Dutch team worth noting that Ajax were European champions in 95.
In 98 Argentina after Beckham red carded.
In 2002, R9, Ronaldinho & Rivaldo put us out.

Any need to go on…….

So for context the European ban affected us & English players were disadvantaged.
The premier league is now the richest league in the world & we have investment in an academy & now win tournaments at all ages.

Qualifying is an absolute certainty now & just in case we struggle we’d get the benefit of play offs.

He got lucky with draws & has massively underperformed with the resources at his disposal & the myth he was successful for going further is flawed when the context is considered.

 

[Vienna_70]

The FA is a total shambles. They all need giving the boot and starting all over again.

Don’t forget; Peter fucking Swales was the head of the FA's international cricket committee for a while.

And that says it all, really.

 

[RayCTID]

The FA has to decide which playing style they want to adopt and stick with it.

 

[GortonBlue62]

In my lifetime WC qualification groups have gone from 3 teams playing a total of 4 games & less countries to more teams & seedings fixed & play offs ensuring it’s almost impossible not to qualify.

In 74 Poland edged us with Wales 3rd
In 78 Italy edged on goal dif cos they scored more vs Luxembourg
In 82 we qualified & won every group game v France, Romania & Kuwait & rewarded in the next round, group of 3 including Germany & Spain. We drew both & were out with 3 wins & 2 draws.
In 86 we lost to Maradonas Argentina & 90 on pens in the semi to champions Germany.
In 94 we missed out to fantastic Dutch team worth noting that Ajax were European champions in 95.
In 98 Argentina after Beckham red carded.
In 2002, R9, Ronaldinho & Rivaldo put us out.

Any need to go on…….

So for context the European ban affected us & English players were disadvantaged.
The premier league is now the richest league in the world & we have investment in an academy & now win tournaments at all ages.

Qualifying is an absolute certainty now & just in case we struggle we’d get the benefit of play offs.

He got lucky with draws & has massively underperformed with the resources at his disposal & the myth he was successful for going further is flawed when the context is considered.

Agree with everything you're saying.

In my original post I forgot to list the fact that with the expansion of the number of teams in the finals of the World Cup and Euros, qualification has become a formality for a team like England. (And is the reason teams like Wales and Scotland occasionally qualify; not because they're improving).

 

[Rory Bluelow]

However gets the job it will still be a poisoned chalice. Good luck to whoever throws their hat into the ring, as you`ll need it.

Yep. Although Southgate was clearly a limited manager, his track record in getting England through to tournament finals and semis can’t be disputed - even if we sometimes got lucky with draws. The next manager will be under huge pressure to go one better than Southgate ie win something….not easy !

 

[Whether or not]

Either Southgate is utterly hopeless, or just about every England player is hugely overrated. In every big game against good sides we had about 30% possession and just hoofed it long to an isolated and immobile centre forward. We are constantly told we have multiple world class players, many of whom look just that at club level. Phil is a great example. It is one or the other, and in my book Southgate is pedestrian and uninspiring at best. His main plus point is that Stones never misses a game for him, whereas he seems permanently unfit or not quite fit for us.