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 better team won. I've a lot of time for what Southgate has achieved, England were a mess before his appointment, but they are never going to win anything playing like that.

I'd like the FA to find a meaningful role for him, what he's done in turning around the culture of the National team shouldn't be underestimated. The way he's handled himself throughout has been exemplary.

He does seem to have managed to stop his players ( mostly) from behaving like arseholes. On and off the pitch. So fair play to him there.

I think it’s because England are judged on very different standards to Scotland. This is partly because of a historic win (1966 World Cup), which I think we all know deep down is irrelevant and an illogical standard to hold England to, and partly because of GS’s consistently good record as manager so far. And also because we - England - are quite an arrogant footballing nation 😂😂

To GS and his team’s enormous credit though, they have not only had an excellent run of performances since he started as England manager but they have also helped to exchange our national arrogance and complacency for resilience, excitement, hope and a real sense of pride. That is an amazing achievement and one of the reasons why GS is a hero for me.

24

England got to the final because of magical
moments of brilliance when it was all or nothing - it almost happened again last night with the last minute corner that was cleared off the line. but they really didn’t play well as a team and eventually your luck will run out - which it did. so they need to work out what went wrong overall given the talent they have. they had a relatively soft route to the final and we’re found really quite lacking when facing Spain.

im a massive fan of what Southgate has done for England - before he came in players didn’t really want to play for england, and they’d lost a lot of support from the public for off pitch stuff. the work he has done to address the issues surrounding penalty shoot outs and the fear factor of playing for england is why we have got as far as we have in recent tournaments

However tactically something seemed off this time - we were too slow to make changes and stuck with players who weren’t performing rather than mixing it up earlier in games or pressing on to try to win matches.

having said all that - if Gareth wants to stay for one more go at the World Cup - i think he’s earned that chance. the players clearly adore him. i think he will have had enough though and go.

There was actually a suggestion in the national press yesterday that, regardless of the outcome of yesterday’s match, he might be offered a seat in the House of Lords.

I know that sounds ridiculous and overblown, and it is only a rumour. I do think though that he’d bring a lot to the role in terms of experience, wisdom and approach. This would not only be a way to recognise his achievements so far but it would give him a real opportunity to continue making an impact (much more so than him simply getting an honour, like a knighthood, which I think he also deserves). In terms of him getting a seat in the House of Lords, if not now, then one day. Partly because something tells me that his time with this team is not yet over.

The main reason for GS leaving would just be for the sake of change, because he’s been in the role for so long and not yet won anything. I know Eddie Howe is only a suggested candidate, but the main thing in his favour is that he’s got top level management experience and… he’s English. That’s not really a clear indication that he’d be any better at the job than GS.

Just looking at the post match interactions, he does seem to have a lovely and genuine relationship with the players. It's rare enough to see that nowadays and really nice. It's a pity more managers aren't like that tbh. Especially given that players start so young now, they really need a steady hand. They're kids under a glaring spotlight.

Spain’s victory was well deserved, but England still did very well and I think it’s important to recognise that.

It comes across here as if you’re not
happy with any result from England unless it’s a tournament win - which is obviously completely unrealistic.

I am being slightly facetious with my next comment, but for your own wellbeing and peace of mind, I do hope you don’t place comparably high standards on yourself or your friends/family/colleagues…

Have Lineker or Ferdinand ever coached a football team? No. Have Neville and Lampard ever got a team they’ve coached such consistently good results as Southgate has? No. I think that tells us all we need to know. All of them are absolutely entitled to their opinions, of course, but they should ultimately be taken with a pinch of salt.

This

They came second

Amazing in World Cup

I'm not a lover of football

They get paid far too much for a sport of Running and kicking a ball

Saying all that. It was England so I watched

But in the end it's a game

No one died

That's it though isn't it! You have the media blowing so much smoke up everyone's arses that it's almost sold as a done deal before the competition has even started. The media are awful for it. Over in Ireland, we do a far better job of expectations management (mainly because we don't qualify for anything anymore 😂). But we're pretty much a mixture of grateful/relieved when we do qualify for something, and I think we do very much recognise our limitations.

Most managers will have been let go from somewhere. It's part of the game.

I felt gutted for them too.

The Spanish team were better overall but rolled around on the floor for most of the added on time to waste time.

England had some very close shots towards the end with Oli Watkins messing up a clear chance, with no one near him. I'd kane had done that he would have been slaughtered in the news.

Next Time hopefully

I’m Scottish but I was rooting for England! I think a lot of the criticism Southgate gets is unfair.

They weren’t even getting to finals before him! Some of these armchair critics needs to wind it in.

IMO they played well but Spain played better and were the stronger teamthroughout the tournament. Maybe next time.

Howe would almost certainly play Anthony Gordon for more than 6 minutes though.

Yes, the team's performance was definitely affected by comments on mumsnet. 🙄😄

I appreciate that, but it really is a moot point, because we’re judging GS on his solid England record and we haven’t got a comparable record to judge Neville or Lampard on. Yes, GS was sacked by Boro - and Lampard was sacked from Chelsea - but we don’t have any further evidence to judge Neville or Lampard on.

I assume lots of people will have lots of varying opinions on those two as well. He got the job.