It’s no surprise that Southgate doesn’t want it
WHY him? Not him. There must be somebody else. Gareth Southgate had barely digested the fact he was favourite to succeed Roy Hodgson but dissent was arriving in torrents.
Even by the standards of the kneejerk modern era, this felt like new ground. A man who had not been appointed — who has not even spoken to the FA about becoming the senior team’s head coach — was already in the line of fire.
No wonder he does not want to become Roy Hodgson’s permanent successor. No wonder he harbours the strongest reservations about even taking over on a temporary basis.
The FA are discovering now what a poisoned chalice this job has become.
This is a crucial stage in Southgate’s career. October marks the seventh anniversary of his sacking by Middlesbrough and he has not returned to club management since. Be under no illusion how much he wants the opportunity, one day, to show he can cut it domestically.
With that in mind, he knows the next step he takes cannot be a false one. ‘England manager’ is a grand title but it is also a position that leaves a man with all to lose and little to gain. Southgate, a deep thinker, knows that
There would, simply, be a frenzy. He would be lampooned. If you think that is an exaggeration, consider what has happened over the last 48 hours, not least when Harry Redknapp described Southgate heading the bookmakers’ lists as ‘scary’.
That position, Redknapp argued, was only because he has won a ‘second rate tournament’ last month. Toulon — where, among others, Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo launched their careers — has been called many things but second rate? No.
Southgate (right), who has spent Euro 2016 working for UEFA as a technical analyst, oversaw a faultless campaign to guide England to their first success there since 1994.
Still, this is England. A country that has won six knockout games at major tournaments since 1986 can afford to be snobby, can’t it?
Southgate favourite to be manager? Shouldn’t Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti be forming an orderly queue to be interviewed? Again, no. Realism needs to enter this debate and before the frenzy over Southgate continues, perspective must be applied. He has never actively pursued the No 1 job but, equally, he is aware that circumstances might yet leave him facing a big decision.
His work with the Under 21s over the last three years has been very good and in May, Dan Ashworth — the FA’s technical director — spoke to Southgate about extending his contract, which expires in 2017.
The upshot was that it was sensible to wait before committing to another deal. Four years doing the Under 21 beat is a long time and the last 12 months have been difficult, given England had so few games — they only played six times before Toulon.
Southgate’s role was redefined by the FA before he took the Under 21s to the Czech Republic for Euro 2015.
His remit was changed so that he was just in charge of the Under 21s, concentrating on maximising their potential, rather than working with all development squads.
The fact that news emerged after England returned following a group stage exit made it appear as if he was carrying the can for the disappointment. It was not the case but it was a sobering episode. Southgate, with good reason, was unhappy with how it all played out. Still, he has got on with things quietly, as is his way. Results have been solid — England top their group and are on course to qualify for Euro 2017 in Poland — and Toulon showed his own development as a coach. The perception is that all England teams should play the same system (4-2-3-1) but Southgate had looked at his group and thought that formation would prevent his players from showing their best form. So the day before their opening game against Portugal, Southgate came up with a plan. He had been unable to sleep and sent his assistant, Steve Holland, a message in the early hours saying training was going to change and England would play a midfield diamond with two forwards.
What he saw convinced him that was the way to progress and five unblemished games later, the squad was cavorting with a piece of silverware and memories that will stick with them for a lifetime.
His teams play good football — the way England dismantled Croatia away in October 2014 remains fresh in the memory —he does not suffer fools and will not shirk big decisions. What is more, the atmosphere he has helped foster ensures his squad is never affected by late drop outs.
There is a perception of Southgate that he is an FA man, meek and someone who lacks inspirational qualities but that simply is not the case. How could it be if he is prepared to make a decision as big this? Experience down the years has hardened him.
He told Sportsmail in 2014: ‘When you have been through what I have, first of all in 1996 (missing a penalty against Germany), then losing the job at Middlesbrough — having had to manage in the Premier League with no experience at 35 — I think I can cope with anything, really.’
Maybe one day the circumstances will be right. Maybe there will come a point when Southgate’s name is mentioned in relation to the England job and there will not be any dissent. The prospect, after all, was first raised by Arsene Wenger nine years ago.
‘I feel you do not rate these (English) managers enough,’ Wenger said in 2007 before a game against Middlesbrough. ‘Give them a chance.’
The reality is very few do. And that should explain why Southgate — at this point — will leave the FA to continue their search for England’s next permanent manager elsewhere.