I like him.
He’s a nicely turned out young man.
He speaks calmly and intelligently about the game.
He knows the players pretty well.
He doesn’t put round pegs into square holes. (I can’t see him putting Rooney in a deep midfield role, for example.)
He changes tactics according to the needs of the match.
The players believe in him.
What more do the FA want?
Dodger Lane says
Sorry Tigger, I don’t think much of him as a manager, but then I find so much about the national team (Sammy Lee on the bench as well. Isn’t he the new Phil Neal ?) and the media ridiculous that I’m probably not the best judge.
I don’t understand where all this media enthusiasm for him has come from. Is it because he’s the anti-Allardyce, scrubs up well and is English ? I don’t recall his managerial career at Boro being that great. To judge him on 4 games seems unfair given that he’s limited by his caretaker role but has there been anything there that’s any different from what went on before ? I don’t blame the guy, have nothing against him, it’s the F.A who have to decide what they want, how they want the national team to play and find the best English manager to fit the bill. It seems they bounce around from one enthusiasm to another, from high maintenance foreign managers to wide boys and now it’s all about being a nice well spoken lad.
We also need to re-calibrate what is expected of the national team, winning easy qualifying groups does not make us world class, yet when the tournaments come round far too many people are suckered into believing that it’s England’s turn.
Tiggerlion says
Jaochim Löw didn’t do much as a club manager, either. I’ve not been impressed with wizz-bang tacticians from abroad. None of them manned up with Lampard and Gerrard, for example. “Look. You are both great but there is only room in the team for one…” Big Sam was weak with Rooney, Southgate wasn’t. I think Little Sam is only there because this is an ‘interim’ period.
Southgate doesn’t lack tactical nous, seems pretty good at man-management (the essential skill for the manager – just look at Stones; over the four games, you can see him cutting out his errors, last night his adventures only started after eighty minutes 2-0 up in a friendly, and neither goal was his fault) and has the air of a good ambassador.
Fully agree with your call for a re-calibration, though. That would help Southgate, or any other manager, enormously.
Neilo says
I think the FA wants a Walter Becker clone to go along with their Donald Fagen doppelganger.
Tiggerlion says
He’s not that ugly!
Neilo says
Hey man, certain people – my wife included – think that Don is ‘foine’.
Tiggerlion says
I was thinking the footballers are the ugly ones.
Leedsboy says
I think he should be given a go. I think being good with a club team doesn’t mean that you will be good with the national team. The politics, media scrutiny and time with players is very different. I think Southgate has done ok. He has carried out a variety of coaching roles with the FA and he seems to have done a good job on the U21’s.
And, above all, he seems decent. Which is important if you want the media to give him a chance.
Dodger Lane says
I think you over-estimate the decency of the media. The guys that count won’t give a damn how decent he is if they feel he’s not up to it or has not picked their new favourites, or doesn’t do as they say. The media love a bully and a rogue.
Leedsboy says
True. But they probably won’t capture him being an arrogant dick within the initial months.
Bingo Little says
Couldn’t care less who manages England. Anything beats Allardyce.
My vote is for a massive reduction in International football, which is becoming less and less popular as time passes. For many fans, the International breaks are now little more than a period of intense boredom, coupled with the hope that your own team’s players escape without injury. Too many pointless friendlies, too many increasingly meaningless qualifiers to support the endless expansion of Summer tournament sizes. Thunder well and truly stolen by the Champs League, which is more popular and higher quality.
As is the trend in 2016, I vote we burn the whole thing to the ground and start again:
* Disband FIFA, UEFA and CONMEBOL and replace them with a single halfway honest/competent body.
* World Cups to be held in major football nations 3 in every 4 tournaments.
* Scrap all international friendlies and qualifiers. Scrap the utterly pointless international rankings.
* Summer tournaments to be held on an invitational basis, with the new governing body selecting the 24/32 (I don’t care which – but no more than that) best teams in the world/Europe/South America based on player performance for club sides.
* Nations who are invited to participate get one month to select a squad, appoint a manager and train together behind closed doors.
Gets rid of all the nonsense International matches which hardly anyone cares about any more, and returns us to proper Summer tournaments with a decent quality of entrant and a bit of mystique – imagine preparing to watch a group of English players you’d never actually seen play together line up against a similar group of (say) Italians, having not had the chance to watch any international football for nearly two years. Imagine also a club football scene with a bit less fatigue and a lot fewer injuries. We could even have a winter break.
We could also save a fortune on fees for the England manager – we could even ask a club manager to take the job on over the Summer as a bit of a busman’s holiday.
Obviously, the big losers would be the FA, who would lose their lucrative tie ins with razor companies, airlines and god knows who else, but – frankly – cry me a river. I almost see this as a bonus, given that hardly any of that sponsorship moolah seems to find its way down to the grass roots of the game anyway. Oh, and also the press, who are the biggest problem with the English national side and who would have to get off their backsides and do a proper day’s work instead of writing endless think pieces about whether England are crap at football because they don’t line up for their team photos the way Wales do.
Dave Ross says
In the unlikely event your suggestion doesn’t happen…….. At least have pre-qualifiers for the genuine minnows. San Marino v Gibraltar etc to earn the right to play in the actual qualifiers removes the number of “pointless” matches. You may then see Italy or Germany for example at risk of not making the actual World Cup / Euros if they lose in their now smaller more competitive qualifying groups.
Bingo Little says
I guess the counter argument to all this is that some of these qualifiers help raise money for San Marino which possibly does flow to the local grass roots. Who knows?
Personally, I agree with Thomas Muller that these games make little sense on the face of them; world class players risking serious injury while spanking San Marino 8-0 in a meaninglessly one-sided nonsense match.
I also think they’re ultimately driving a decline in interest in International football which may yet prove terminal.
Dave Ross says
Yep, i get that but interest in San Marino would be greater perhaps if they had the chance to win a few games? I agree with your basic point though but Wembleys been sold out for Southgates 3 home games so someone’s loving it
Sewer Robot says
Dave, you big cynic! How can you doubt that Arsechestersea City United would use a decluttered calendar of international fixtures to allow their players a winter break rather than arrange lucrative friendlies on the other side of the world?
I do like the idea of England simply being allowed to opt out of tournaments just like the old days. Qatar? No tar!
Bingo Little says
Fair point.
Since I’m being autocratic here; no overseas friendlies for clubs during the winter break.
Also – a total ban on Michael Owen, in all its forms.
Tiggerlion says
Wasn’t Iceland a minnow until recently?
Dave Ross says
I have this insightful observation for him. In an open game when teams come on to us we’re a match for anyone, if teams defend in numbers we’re fucked. Fix that and the job’s his for as long as he wants it.
Baron Harkonnen says
Southgate is a yes man.
Southgate didn`t do much at Middlesbrough.
Southgate didn`t do much at Under 21 level.
Southgate was crap at penalties.
Aye, he`s probably the right man.
The thing is what the f$@k do I know, I vowed to never watch the England Senior Team again after the abject performances in South Africa 2010 as long as Rooney was still involved.
count jim moriarty says
Yes man? Don’t think so.
He was thrown in at the deep end at Boro, and did OK in his first season. Hamstrung by bad buys (e.g. Afonso Alves) that he had no say in signing, and having to make deep cuts in his budget. His sacking was a surprise as we were doing OK in the Championship at the time. He was certainly a raging success compared to a certain wee ginger Scotsman who followed him (where is he now)!
I think he did fine as under-21 manager – qualified for most, if not all, Euro championships. At that level, results are not the main measure of success – plenty have stepped up from U-21 to full level.
He is a rotten penalty taker though.
Don’t really see any obvious alternative, so give him a go. Certainly less dodgy than Fat Sam!
Baron Harkonnen says
Seeing as you are a Boro fan* Count Jim I`ll concede but I`ll stick by the rest. Maybe saying he is a yes man is a bit harsh, the thing is he does come across as a good guy. Maybe after `Wedding-Gate` he will get shut of that f$@king Hob-Goblin Rooney and I can start effing and blinding while watching England again!
*I hope you stay up and maintain a Premier League presence, I kinda like the manager, Karanka.
count jim moriarty says
Thanks for the good wishes, Baron. Karanka is a good bloke, although I do wish he was a little more flexible tactically.
Despite his less than stellar spell as manager, Gareth will always be a hero to us Smoggies. Led us to our first ever/only ever* major trophy as skipper. The main reason he got the manager’s job was because El Tel turned it down and the sainted Steve Gibson has a sudden and uncharacteristic brainfade.
I’d like to see him make a success of the England job, even though I have little regard for or interest in international football these days.
* delete as applicable
Black Celebration says
I felt the same after WC2010, England have not inspired or excited anyone for a very long time. Having people play for England for over a decade is a bit Bobby Charlton isn’t it? I think it should be seen as a passage to the big time for the most talented U21s. At that age, they are still young, quick and open in terms of attitude. Most players make an enormous impact early on and then they settle. England should take on those players by and large. By the time they get to 25ish they may well get to a big club and the focus on England might wane – but that’s OK there’ll be another one in a minute.
Rigid Digit says
He does indeed possess all the attributes you cite, and fair play to him.
He does seem to be a “bloody good bloke”, but also suffers from the perception of a safe pair of hands, an FA “Yes” man and a theoretical manager, rather than a proven on the battlefield type.
But …
if he wants the job then let him have it … certainly better to have someone who wants to be there for the game, rather than spending stupid amounts of cash on a Big Name manager with no real interest in doing the job
DougieJ says
Agree. The FA have tried all types in the last few years. On paper, Hodgson should have worked well – a mature English coach experienced at club and international level. Didn’t quite turn out that way.
deramdaze says
Spain 2, England 3.
Erm … what a team!
Tiggerlion says
I like the recent change of tactics to 4-3-3 and the fact the two, mobile young forwards played more narrow to get close to Kane. We were clinical in the first half. All three goals were class.
However, there are still questions defensively. We stepped back five yards in the second half and the two central defenders were stretched. Too many crosses were allowed to come in. Luckily they were rarely quality but two headed goals conceded tell the story. Plus, it was a penalty. Having said all that, we stayed strong and compact for a very long time with Ramos only scoring with the last touch of the match.
Still, we are improving and learning, it was one hell of a young team and a number of first picks were absent. We are certainly fun to watch.
deramdaze says
Two years ago I’d have said Sterling was all that was wrong with English football.
Now I think he’s all that’s right with English football. Remember him shrugging off that intimidation from the Columbian bench?
It’s taken 20 years, but I finally like the England football team. Really like them.
I’ve even put the next game in the diary …
Thursday, 15th November – v. U.S.A. at Wembley.
NigelT says
Playing these competitive games rather than meaningless friendlies will do them good too.
Agree about the 4-3-3….or is it 4-2-1-3? Barclay and Winks did well, and Dier left an ‘impression’ on Ramos early on, which was nice!