Don't rate Southgate as a tactician, and think England would be in the exact same place but more comfortably - and with a better chance against Spain - with a different man in charge, but he's definitely got (the majority of) these lads working as a team. They developed a bit of a siege mentality against the media in the group stages and it's paid off.
There's something else about Southgate as well. I supported England so much as a kid because this was back when we were shit and I could actually dream of winning trophies with players like Lampard, Beckham, Rooney, etc. But when England missed out on Euro 2008 and I enjoyed the tournament more, I started going off them.
By the 2010 World Cup I wasn't really bothered when Germany trounced them, and through the Euros and World Cups of the Hodgson era I didn't really feel anything. I think the only England game I watched in the 2014 World Cup was the 2-1 defeat to Uruguay. The whole England set-up bored me and none of the players were particularly likeable.
But that Iceland defeat felt like a wake-up call for the entire England set-up, and since then I think they've actually been quite likeable again. The moment it changed for me was when I somehow ended up in a bar in Media City watching the Tunisia game at the 2018 World Cup, and I actually cheered Kane's last-minute winner.
That felt a bit strange but it felt good. I didn't know where it had come from but I didn't question it. I think it had something to do with all my friends - who don't even like football really - getting excited and starting to really understand the rules and follow the team. The Colombia penalty shootout felt like a big watershed moment.
Since then, it's felt like the country actually likes this team. We rightly question some decisions but I don't think you can fault how much these lads care? Things might have been different if Bellingham hadn't scored against Slovakia, but we're a world away from Rooney moaning down the camera about the fans booing the team after that 0-0 draw against Algeria in 2010.
And for all his faults, Southgate's time as England manager has already had more amazing moments and amazing games than the entire "Golden Generation" put together. The Colombia shootout, the 2-0 win over Germany and taking the lead in the Euros final, the Bellingham overhead, the last minute Watkins goal. I don't know how much of it's down to Southgate as a tactician but as a motivator I can't really fault him?
I still think England are yet to face a truly quality side at this tournament and Spain will probably be one step too far, but Switzerland and the Netherlands are no mugs and Southgate's systems reduced them to very little in terms of chances. He's lucky to have avoided Germany, France, Spain, et al, thus far - but as the saying goes, a good horse never jumps higher than it has to.
For what it's worth I'm still very much not a fan of Southgate but his record, confounding as it is, will speak for itself when he leaves. The second most successful England manager of all time. The first England manager to reach two finals and the first to reach a final on foreign soil. And, while I don't rate him much and would laugh if he ended up at United, he's the manager who was in charge when I started to like England again.
There's something else about Southgate as well. I supported England so much as a kid because this was back when we were shit and I could actually dream of winning trophies with players like Lampard, Beckham, Rooney, etc. But when England missed out on Euro 2008 and I enjoyed the tournament more, I started going off them.
By the 2010 World Cup I wasn't really bothered when Germany trounced them, and through the Euros and World Cups of the Hodgson era I didn't really feel anything. I think the only England game I watched in the 2014 World Cup was the 2-1 defeat to Uruguay. The whole England set-up bored me and none of the players were particularly likeable.
But that Iceland defeat felt like a wake-up call for the entire England set-up, and since then I think they've actually been quite likeable again. The moment it changed for me was when I somehow ended up in a bar in Media City watching the Tunisia game at the 2018 World Cup, and I actually cheered Kane's last-minute winner.
That felt a bit strange but it felt good. I didn't know where it had come from but I didn't question it. I think it had something to do with all my friends - who don't even like football really - getting excited and starting to really understand the rules and follow the team. The Colombia penalty shootout felt like a big watershed moment.
Since then, it's felt like the country actually likes this team. We rightly question some decisions but I don't think you can fault how much these lads care? Things might have been different if Bellingham hadn't scored against Slovakia, but we're a world away from Rooney moaning down the camera about the fans booing the team after that 0-0 draw against Algeria in 2010.
And for all his faults, Southgate's time as England manager has already had more amazing moments and amazing games than the entire "Golden Generation" put together. The Colombia shootout, the 2-0 win over Germany and taking the lead in the Euros final, the Bellingham overhead, the last minute Watkins goal. I don't know how much of it's down to Southgate as a tactician but as a motivator I can't really fault him?
I still think England are yet to face a truly quality side at this tournament and Spain will probably be one step too far, but Switzerland and the Netherlands are no mugs and Southgate's systems reduced them to very little in terms of chances. He's lucky to have avoided Germany, France, Spain, et al, thus far - but as the saying goes, a good horse never jumps higher than it has to.
For what it's worth I'm still very much not a fan of Southgate but his record, confounding as it is, will speak for itself when he leaves. The second most successful England manager of all time. The first England manager to reach two finals and the first to reach a final on foreign soil. And, while I don't rate him much and would laugh if he ended up at United, he's the manager who was in charge when I started to like England again.