No regrets from Southgate after Qatar heartache

ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate is considering his future but left Qatar with few regrets following the crushing World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France.

Harry Kane scored one penalty and missed another against the reigning champions on Saturday night in a 2-1 defeat for the Euro 2020 runners-up.

England’s wait to emulate Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 heroes goes on as attention turns to Southgate as he processes the last-eight loss and ponders his future.

The 52-year-old has a contract until the European Championship in 2024 but wants to ensure he has the energy required to go again and that the decision is right for the team.

“I think whenever I finish these tournaments, I’ve needed time to make correct decisions,” Southgate said.

“I want to make the right decision, whatever that is for the team, for England, for the FA.”

Southgate said that “to go again is a lot of energy and you’ve got to make sure you are ready for that”, adding there was too much in his “head to think logically about any of that” so quickly after the defeat.

The manager was seen giving a hug to Kieran Trippier and thanking those that worked with the team during their 26-day stay at Souq Al Wakra yesterday lunchtime before boarding the staff coach for the airport.

Southgate did an interview with the Football Association media channels before England departed for home as he reflected on the tournament and the fact “a 30-second period can turn your life upside down”.

“It’s a really strange feeling because the end of the tournament is so stark,” he said. “Everybody’s packing everything up and you go through years of preparation, really, and then there’s that feeling.

“There’s the feeling that we were so close and the level of performance I was so happy with.

“There’s the disappointment that we feel we could have gone on and done more and yet I really have very few regrets about the whole thing. So, yeah, emotionally it’s a rollercoaster, really.”