To feel really gutted for England tonight?

[Acapulco12]

This Euros tournament has been quite a crazy ride for England and it’s a tournament I’d rather forget (partly because of the way that Gareth Southgate and the team have been treated by the British press and their own fans).

I think that whilst the team has loads of fantastic world-class players, they haven’t consistently played well as a team, either in the run-up (e.g. in the Iceland or Bosnia games) or in the tournament itself.

I really feel that the team only managed to get through to the final because of moments of individual brilliance (Jude Bellingham’s goal, Ollie Watkins’ goal, Pickford’s absolutely top-notch goalkeeping).

I’m also quite disappointed with elements of Gareth Southgate’s management even though I still really admire his leadership style, his achievements as England manager and his attitude. Southgate has - undeniably - produced consistently excellent results with this team, but they haven’t yet won anything with him, and ultimately they will be judged on winning. They have got close to winning on two occasions now with him, and he and they obviously care for and respect each other, but I don’t think that’s enough anymore (feels harsh to write that).

I think it’s time for the team to find a new manager and go in a new direction, but equally I think it will take time for a new manager to find their feet with England and I worry that the new manager will not be able to create the same sort of culture that Southgate did, which I think really helped to shape this current team and make them so successful.

I know that there can only be one winner in the Euros - just like in any sports competition - but I just really feel for the England players. I’ve followed them for a few years now, they come across as a really nice team and I feel really sorry that it didn’t work out for them tonight.

Focussing on the final tonight, Spain were clearly the better team tonight - and throughout the Euros. Having said that, I do feel quite sad that the England players couldn’t achieve the win they wanted. They obviously really really wanted to win, and I think the team’s performance has overshadowed the individual achievements and excellence of the England players that I mentioned earlier in the post.

I know there will be many more tournaments to come, probably for most players in the team as most of them are still very young and are full of potential, but they had so much expectation riding on them and they came pretty close to winning, having got to the final.

They should feel really proud of themselves for getting to the final and coming close to winning, but I know that they would rather have won than been runners up.

I feel like he'll probably have little choice in resigning and nor will the team. Which makes me quite sad because I agree with how he's managed the team, the culture he's created and as you say, the consistent results - but not wins and it's the wins, or rather the losses, that shape everything .

Being honest I don't think that they have played particularly well as a team, there have been moments of incredible skill from players who have saved the day, and last minute rally's, and Spain were superior in all aspects tonight and I think our players probably had the whole "We always fall at the last hurdle" feeling when Spain were dominating the game. But, they rallied, and seemed to pick up and get going after the goal and others may disagree but I think they lost it again when Spain went up a gear, and were rattled again, it's exciting watching Pickford being tested because he's pulled off some fantastic saves, and Stones defending was outstanding at points - but again they were moments of skill from one player, not a cohesive team playing well together.

All that said they've done a great job and they, nor Southgate are deserving of the battering they're probably going to get again, I get that it's a passion for some people but it's a game, not life and death and I think the way they're treated is unwarranted.

I'm not being funny and I know very little about football but I have to say Southgate has done a better job at taking a team to international success than any other manager for a long time. To sack him because he couldn't do better than a lot of other managers who couldn't do as well as him seems fucked up to me.

England have an inherent problem in that they are too polite. They have no fire in their bellies and no aggression to push forward and win. The players need that in order to get anywhere

England didn't lose. They came second out of the 20 (?) teams in the tournament, not to mention all the others that didn't make it that far.
If your child won a silver medal at the Olympics you'd be delighted.

It's all the media hype and the "coming home" crap that winds everyone up that makes you feel like a loser. Coming second is brilliant. If Wales came second I and the rest of the Welsh nation would be over the bloody moon.

I'm not English but I've lived here a long time and was sad they didn't win tonight. I wasn't sure they would beforehand, Spain are just so good, but would have liked them to win.

Southgate has transformed English football and hope that one day he truly gets the credit he deserves even if he didn't win trophies. They were nowhere near reaching finals before him. England men's team hasn't won a trophy since the 1960s and rarely made it past the semis most of the time - it's mad that there's so much expectation on them to win when they haven't won in so long.

Well yes, they did lose - because they didn’t win. I know it sounds pedantic to say it, but it’s the truth. In a sporting and a logical sense, they have lost. I hate writing that because it makes me sound like I only care about winning, which I don’t, and I love this team, love GS and I’m lucky to just be a spectator who enjoys football and to whom - in the grand scheme of things - wins or losses don’t really matter.

I can see that the players and GS clearly desperately wanted to win, partly because as sportspeople they will aim to win every game they play and because they wanted to win it for the country.

Unfortunately it didn’t work out for them, and whilst they still did brilliantly, they still lost. With respect, comparing Wales coming second to England coming second isn’t a fair comparison. There are way higher expectations placed on the England football team than the Welsh one, which I think are justified now more than ever, partly because of the way that GS has shaped the current team, and I think they could have won if tonight had gone differently, but very sadly they didn’t. Although Spain were excellent and a very deserving winner.

Maybe they could borrow the Women's Football coach for a bit?

Not a football fan, but sacking the guy who got them to the finals twice is stupid. It's hardly like they dropped out in the qualifiers or people thought the winning team were shit. He shouldn't resign, he needs to stand by his team and say we did bloody well thanks. Second place isn't winner but it isn't to be laughed at either

Agree completely with this

They lost because they weren’t good enough. Spain were a much better team. Many should now lose their place in the team in the same way as other jobs where you are replaced by someone who is better at the job.

Who might be better at the job - Southgate has been the best England Manager in decades if we are going by results

I find this dissing of him odd and unpleasant

I know nothing about football except it’s occasional domination of the media and everyone else organising their lives round last night.

Are we just not very good? Why do we have this fixation with ‘it’s coming home’ and never actually manage to do it?
If it’s been years since we have won, why do we keep thinking we might win, given we can’t be that good or we’d win more often?

I realise if you follow football the above must make no sense at all, but I’m just trying to grasp the context from a position of extreme ignorance 🤣

England lost because Spain were the standout team of the tournament. They were brilliant. No point in blaming it on Southgate - he’s done a marvellous job in turning them around and still people complain and pelt him with beer. No wonder he’s thinking of resigning.

I really wish the press would stop calling it 50 years of hurt. It’s disappointing to lose a final and it’s sore at the time but it’s not 50 years of hurt. It’s 50 years of disappointment. Framing it as hurt means you see yourself as wounded, which they’re not. They were beaten by the better team.

Southgate hasn't yet made a decision as to his future as England Manager, so let's hope he doesn't quit just because of this result. Trouble is, he has been manager for 8 years so people are bound to judge him harshly just based on that time ... when will a win happen if it hasn't happened after 8 years (although having said that, COVID did disrupt play for over a year).

being National Manager is a bit of a poisoned challis - lots of talented players from different clubs having to "gel" and work as a team is very challenging.

Spain were better. We've done a lot of boring play during the tournament and have definitely had some lucky wins, we were always the underdogs in this final.

It is frustrating and sad but Spain deserved the cup.

I think GS has fostered a really healthy attitude in the team that has been lacking previously, the confident way they took their penalties is proof of that.

England play dull football and that shouldn’t be the case with this set of players. Southgate has done well and seems a decent bloke but I think it’s time for a change now. 8 years is long enough for an international manager.

Spain were great.

i agree, all this hurt and heart break really gets on my nerves.

32 teams . Not 20

spain were the favourites, the england team tried

Spain were the better team. England never stood a chance against them

Yep. Leave him alone!

The default shouldn't be "if we don't win the whole tournament the team and manager aren't any good". They must have won a fair few games to get to that stage. I don't know where this assumption that we should win the tournament unless we mess it up has come from. The other teams also want to win it.

England came out playing a defensive game.
In the first 10 minutes, it looked like they were trying to hang in there for penalties 🙄
Spain always looked good for the win, if only because they knew the goal they were aiming for, unlike England who have spent the majority of the tournament passing back to Pickford and playing one touch round their own area.

As for Southgate, he looks to have the respect of the team and has done a good job over the years. I just wish he played more of an attacking game 😅

yes I don't know why with so many world class players we can't play with the pace and flair of other nations. It is v frustrating but I hope Gareth stays . I have huge respect for him. I would prefer to.go.out early doors than lose the final myself. It hurts getting so far and then ultimately failing .

Agree Southgate shouldn't be sacked.

He needs to stop with the loyalty to players like Kane, Walker etc. utter dross to watch.

If putting the likes of palmer, Watkins and Toney on and the game accelerates then start those players!!

It's not a new manager we need it's a new captain. Why was Harry Kane in the squad he contributed very little and didn't play a full game the entire tournament did he? That said 2nd place in the Euros is a wonderful achievement we should be proud of the squad for getting this far twice on the trot. I hate the British media who will no doubt go to town laying into them all.

The press are totally insufferable when it comes to the England team. Completely build them up and pile on the pressure which can't help. The 'it's coming home' thing was constant and v annoying. Neither the team not GS were coming out with any of that shite but the press always go way over the top with it.