A very different 2017 ahead for Southgate
FOR Gareth Southgate, this year was supposed to be about taking England’s Under-21 team to the European Championships in June.
Instead, as the youngsters prepare in Poland, Southgate will be plotting to overcome Scotland at Hampden Park and getting the senior team safely through to the World Cup Finals in Russia.
The 46-year-old is England manager because Roy Hodgson blew it at the Euros and Sam Allardyce blew it over drinks in a hotel lounge.
When Southgate triumphed with the Under21s last May at the Toulon Tournament – the first time England had won the competition since 1994 – he could have had no clue what the next four months would bring.
He hoped the success of his squad in France would be a psychological boost to the seniors at their Chantilly base camp.
It didn’t happen. Hodgson’s team struggled through the group stage then suffered a collective nervous breakdown against Iceland in the first knock-out game.
Hodgson resigned after the game and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to a press conference the following day, where he uttered the immortal phrase: “I don’t really know what I’m doing here.”
If those words summed up Hodgson’s tenure, his successor’s 67 days in charge also hinged on a memorable utterance.
In fact, Allardyce hadn’t even taken his first game when he fell victim to a newspaper sting. Asked about the illegal practice of third-party ownership, he said: “It’s not a problem,” before going on to explain exactly how to get around his new employers’ rules.
So, having lost two managers in the space of 90 minutes of football, the FA turned to Southgate.
After his successful fourgame trial as caretaker he had the FA over a barrel in contract negotiations and struck a three-and-a-halfyear deal that will take him to Euro 2020 without a break clause.
The FA could still sack him if he flops in Russia, but they’ll pay through the nose if they do.
England lead Group F and have six routine-looking qualifiers ahead of them, visiting Hampden included.
Of course, Southgate does have issues to deal with, not least any fallout from the squad’s infamous night off following the home victory over Scotland.
Wayne Rooney made the headlines as a wedding crasher, but there are also questions about the behaviour of other players and coaching staff, so Southgate must display some authority.
With his career in slow decline, Rooney is the big issue on the field, too.
Hodgson bent over backwards to get him into the starting XI and Big Sam said it wasn’t up to him where Rooney played.
Southgate must ensure that it doesn’t look as if he’s giving his most-senior player preferential treatment. Otherwise, 2017 will be more awkward than it should be.