I have to say reading all this cobblers about Southgate is just like a Saints game match thread “this is s**t” “this is terrible” “ he should’nt be near the team” 2 minutes later every pit pony wearing a Saints shirt is a bleeding god because we’ve smashed in 2 goals.
For England International tournaments, after the hullabaloo of 1966 we have been pretty pants flattered to deceive - no World Cups from 1970 to 1982 (where we got nobbled) - in general we had been pretty grim for well over 20 years. Then a quiet chap turns up who “missed that bloody penalty” - “did bugger all a Boro” - but he gets hold of England and suddenly there is hope, we are getting in and around the business end of tournaments - yes we should have won one of them, at least, but England were where everyone with an opinion thought they should be in the tournaments in the 20 plus years previously.
He deserves all the plaudits he’s got from within Football - yes we could have done better - but after 20 years of abject tournament performance Gareth Southgate gave England fans hope more tangible than many had felt before and not just once.
That’s my tuppence ha’penny worth - he doesn’t deserve the some of the slagging he’s been getting on here!
