It is somewhat of a murky time for the Football Association. Bracing themselves for a fine or points deduction by FIFA after wearing poppy armbands against Scotland, they are also dealing with a PR crisis in Wayne Rooney “gatecrashing” a wedding reception and Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana allegedly visiting a strip club.
Amongst all this turmoil, they have to appoint a new England manger after Sam Allardyce’s embarrassing departure. Step forward Gareth Southgate, a largely unchallenged candidate for football’s toughest role and the man to nurse England in troubling times.
England promotes from within with Gareth Southgate
Off the back of a respectable playing career, the former England international took over for departing Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren in 2006, guiding the North East club to two mid-table finishes before an ill-fated relegation from the Premier League. Sacked soon afterwards, Southgate served a self-imposed exile from management before undertaking the role of England U-21 manager in 2013.
A successful period for himself and the U-21’s followed, leading the youth side through two unbeaten qualifying campaigns and most recently guiding them to their first Toulon Tournment victory in 22 years.
Hired on an interim basis after Allardyce’s resignation, the former defender has helped steady the ship. A 2-0 win over Malta and a difficult 0-0 draw against Slovenia began his caretaker role, before a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Scotland and a 2-2 draw to Spain.
While the performances were not quite vintage England displays, the Three Lions still remain on course to qualify for the 2018 World Cup while hinting at what a Southgate regime could be.
The right decision?
Not afraid of making pragmatic decisions, Southgate dropped Wayne Rooney against Slovenia, an alarming response to his recent declining form and perhaps envisioning an England side without their talisman and leader. Alongside this, he favours a possession-based game, keen on utilising pace and pressing. This approach was certainly a welcoming sight given England’s recent displays.
Following on from his experience with the England U-21’s at St. George’s Park, he knows the strength in depth in regards to youth talent. Southgate nurtured the talents of prominent starters Harry Kane, John Stones, Jesse Lingard and future England internationals James Ward-Prowse and Demarai Gray.
Southgate’s appointment as permanent head coach could be a step in the right direction for the FA. The organisation have previously been guilty of throwing money at experienced managers and hoping that it translates into success. A move such as this only further scrutinises any England manager’s work.
Roy Hodgson was reportedly earning £3.5 million a year, while Portugal’s Euro 2016 manager Fernando Santos earns just under £1 million annually. Southgate is also the first former England international since Kevin Keegan to manage the side, keeping up continuity and understanding the players’ mentalities and demands in testing environments. His attitude and positive man-management skills will help to improve the squad atmosphere and shield the players from harsh media criticism.
While some may brand Southgate as a failure at Middlesbrough and a manager plucked from an empty cabinet, he is a viable option for the time being. His polite, friendly demeanor has already calmed the storm surrounding England and with a straight-forward qualifying group ahead of them, it is something to build upon.
A country still hurting from their dire Euro 2016 performance, maybe Gareth Southgate is the man to nurse the wounds and restore England’s reputation as a respectable footballing nation.
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