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.

the cohesion wasn't there.

The cohesion never seems to be there. Why? That’s the question…It’s always down to individuals. Does the England team not train together as much as the more successful teams?

It’s the hope it’s a killer

The idea that coming second is brilliant is exactly why we never win 🙄

Completely agree with this - and I think your post just underlines how hard he has worked and how much he has achieved as England manager. He’s done a fab job in getting all the England players to enjoy playing for him and with each other.

I think Kane was still injured from last season, maybe, so perhaps GS didn’t want to risk him playing a full game. Because of this, I don’t think he reached his full potential in this tournament.

That said, Kane is still an excellent player and he did score 3 goals across all matches. He’s also a very good team captain, because he’s an excellent footballer, a very experienced player and he seems like a decent guy and a good role model for the other players - especially the less experienced players - to look up to.

I think that they will change the manager soon and they may make Jude Bellingham captain soon. I hope Kane stays on for a while though - at least until the next Euros.

Southgate won't be sacked. But he's been doing the job a long time and it is likely he'll step away after this one so it felt like his last chance.

There's been remarkably little talk of him being sacked over his tenure. His track record speaks for itself and consistency has reaped rewards (just not the big one unfortunately).

The disappointing truth is that England simply don't measure up on the international stage against teams like Spain (and in general, not this particular tournament) Germany and Italy.

When you think of the obscene sums of money sunk into this sport, mostly to the exclusion of others, you do have to wonder if our national preoccupation is worth the cost. Thousands of £s a week for kicking a bag of air around?

I feel for Southgate and the England squad, but not a particular complement of their fans who 'celebrated' the Lionesses' success by making repulsively misogynistic comments about the team and women in general. And this says a great deal about the culture surrounding men's football, IMO.

Now, the Lionesses are an international football team I can really get behind.

They played like crap, in fact they got lucky the rest of the tournament and the one decent match we had was against the Netherlands.

There was little to no defending last night, Walker needs to put the same effort into chasing a ball as he does into two timing his wife and spawning illegitimate children, Foden needs his eyes testing, Kane is past it and Southgate needs to go. Stones I fail to see why he was there, same as Alexander Arnold at the start. Grealish not being called on because Maguire was injured was a huge error. Watkins and Palmer should not have come on so late.

Southgate but he's done what every other manager does, in that he has a pet fave who he carries on playing once their international glory days are over. It was the same with Shearer, Beckham, Owen, and Rooney before. All got crap but carried on being called up.

Spain had good young players who didn't bother with set pieces, they played decisive football and went for it.

We didn't deserve to be there last night and they outplayed us with ease.

And yes, I support England but as a supporter, we have to admit we were crap.

😂Glad I don't seem to be the only one who thinks so!

I don't want Southgate to go, but I want the team to play more attacking football and Kane to be dropped when he's not fit!

You are totally him, he says the exact same!

I think it was me who said we had plenty of world-class players and I stand by that - e.g. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Marc Guéhi, Jordan Pickford… I think even some players who weren’t picked this time can be considered world-class (e.g. Marcus Rashford).

When I used to watch football more avidly in the 90's England could only dream of getting to a final. It was quarter and semi finals all the way. Southgate has got them to 2. I do think England just aren't as good as the other teams in Europe, and haven't been for decades. We had a ridiculously easy group which we struggled through, and we're lucky to beat teams in the easy draws for the knockouts. Spain looked like champions the whole way through. I don't know why England fans and the press think we deserve to win all the time. Second place is a massive achievement for a fairly ordinary team from a country that hasn't won anything for 58 years!

Well, you feel how you feel but they were pretty shit and got to the final mostly through sheer luck!

England men never seem to play well as a team, ever. But if a mystery.
Perhaps they should hang out a bit more at the England women’s training and find out what it is that brings them together so well as a team…

Shouldn't have to go a goal down to start playing which what we have done more or less every knock out game..why Harry Kane kept starting is beyond. Know he is Captain but if he isn't performing sometimes time to drop.

The subs actually have been spot on but always brought on to late. Yesterday was better timing wise. It was always going to be tough against Spain anyway given how they've performed this tournament and how England have...

I dont think he should be sacked but reckon he'll walk

It's also worth pointing out the Lionesses under 19s team won 10-0 last night.

World class players? I don't agree, maybe on the cusp of being like Watkins and Palmer, Saka is close.

Sadly, we don't encourage our premier players, if you look at Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and United, Chelsea and Newcastle, for decades they buy players from mainly Europe to make up a credible team.
That's why, when it comes to international football, it's difficult to select world class players, because most home grown talent is stuck playing in lower leagues.

If you look at the cup where all leagues can take part, there has always been teams in leagues 1 or 2 who have beaten premiership or Championship teams and it's called a shock result.
Why? It shows that when these lower league players get to show what they can do, they can and do outclass the far better paid bunch in the higher leagues.

We need to invest in grassroots football, if we want a good international team, then start building international worthy England players who can be selected. It's time for limits on player numbers bought from abroad. All we do is train them up to beat us!

EmmetEmma · Today 06:37
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 agree. I confess: I'm not a sports fan, and know naff-all about football, but I am patriotic and really get cross with people in the press making out that England is rubbish. We're not rubbish - we're just not the best in the world! We got to the final and didn't get thrashed 6-0 by a superb Spanish team - there's no shame in that, just a lot of disappointment.

Well done to the team and to Southgate. We've done better under him than I remember with previous managers.

It's just football.

Spain played better. Simple as that.

I do feel sorry for them. However I grew with those who said they just didn't inspire as a team.
At no point yesterday did they play like this is the greatest day of our lives. There was no joy or freedom. Too much back passing and set pieces. Distinct lack of urgency.
But they did come second and that's a really terrific achievement.

I think if we really had so many world class players, we'd win more/play better.
We always seem to have this "Golden Generation" yet perform so badly, despite so many different managers over the years.

And so many different players! Maybe what we have are good players with world class teammates? Pickford is outstanding. Without him we would be nowhere near the final, which says a lot.

They did well to get to the final and lose 2-1 to a team who've won 4 times. Nothing to be ashamed of.

This ⬆️

England did well to get to the final. They were beaten by a better team, Spain.