England at EURO 2024 - An Honest and Fair Assessment
The truth is, whilst it may be very black/white to some, it's been far from that. I have often supported the mantra that, at the highest level of football, winning is everything and that you're judged upon results. On that basis, Southgate is the most successful England manager of all time. He's taken the nation to four tournaments (we're ignoring the Nations League, which clearly doesn't compare to the Euros or World Cup) and his worst outcome was the quarter-final defeat to France in Qatar. So, judging by how close Southgate has taken England to the holy grail of success that we've all been so desperately starved of, you can fairly conclude that he deserves one more crack at it across North America in 2026.
However, the post-mortem of this latest campaign has raised more questions against Southgate than it's provided answers. Throughout Euro 2024, England nearly always felt like they were moments from disaster, and yet they made the final and were five minutes away from taking Spain to extra-time. We were a paradox, a contradiction, a team that rarely imposed themselves but kept coming up with crucial, deciding moments.
We were pretty awful against Slovakia in the last sixteen, and came within a minute and a half of being dumped out before Jude Bellingham and his wonder goal. A belated tactical switch led to a more cohesive performance against Switzerland in the quarter-final but, after a more positive first half, we sat deeper in the second period and conceded in the seventy-fifth minute. Another quality goal, this time from Bukayo Saka, saved England (again) when they were ten minutes away from exiting the competition, before the cathartic penalty-shootout.
The opening half of the semi-final, versus the Netherlands, was easily the best that England played across the whole tournament. The first half an hour against Serbia, way back in the opening group game, had been pretty decent too, but it was the Dutch that saw an England that, as David Baddiel, Frank Skinner, and Ian Broudie said all those years ago, we "know they can play". And yet, we still needed to be rescued by the most fortunate of penalty decisions.
In response, Ronald Koeman altered the set-up of his team and closed the gaps that England had been exploiting. The Three Lions consequently found themselves struggling, once more, to break down their opposition, until that glorious moment from Ollie Watkins averted the need for another dose of extra-time. All of which underlines the real concern with letting Southgate continue in the role that he's made his own over the last eight years. England navigated every step of the knock-out stages through sheer will and determination, seizing the all-important moments that decided those games, and yet they only outplayed their opponents in one half of those three matches.
In contrast, the Spanish team ultimately emulated the French in Euro 1984, by winning every one of their games en route to lifting the trophy. They confirmed what everyone already knew, in that they were the best team at Euro 2024, by delivering on the pitch and not showing any fear or deference to anyone. Something that Southgate should have, by now, instilled in an England squad that currently contains a wealth of individual talent that would be the envy of most other nations. This isn't just a bullish statement tinged with bias, England now possess attacking players that are leading lights at Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City to name a few.
It leaves us wanting and demanding more, but it doesn't automatically mean that this generation of England fans are entitled, they just want to see their team taking the handbrake off and going for it. Make attack the best form of defence and be assertive. Southgate is a decent man, a likeable guy who has helped England to enjoy some great times across the past eight years, and I, like many, craved the success that would have cemented his legacy and made him a legend. But, as ridiculous as it may sound, the man that has led us so close to glory, may also be the one who's unable to take us over the line. This is because, for all that Southgate has done for England, he's a reactive manager rather than a proactive one.
That doesn't mean he should be unceremoniously sacked by the FA, not at all. He's taken England from being a laughing stock and figure of fun at Euro 2016, to serial contenders and a team to be respected, even if they are not dazzling. I therefore take no pleasure from analysing the faults of Southgate and really feel for him and the void that his losses in finals will leave, but if we want England to finally end their fifty-eight years (and counting) of hurt, then tough questions need to be asked, such as:
* Why was Harry Kane played when he increasingly appeared unfit and unable to help the team to press? (at the least, he looked most comfortable when playing with a strike partner)
* Why wasn't a second left-back picked in the squad when the much-missed Luke Shaw was only available to start the final?
* Why wasn't Anthony Gordan utilised in what was clearly a problem area for the team?
* Why didn't Adam Wharton get a look in during the midfield experiment of the group stage, when he looked like a player in real form pre-tournament?
* For that matter, why was the England team experimenting with their set-up after Euro 2024 had got underway?
These are awkward matters to address, but they demonstrate how the feeling remains that Southgate, for all that he has achieved, hasn't learnt from past mistakes. England relinquished the initiative in the World Cup semi-final against Croatia in 2018, but that could be excused as a new experience and environment for the team. However, Euro 2020 sums up the Southgate tenure, in that England broke new ground in reaching the final and they got the accolades they deserved, but it was a final that they lost from a position of strength. They didn't turn the screw on Italy when they were there for the taking, and sat back further and further until the inevitable equaliser came with less than twenty-five minutes left. And let's not start on the calamitous decisions that contributed to the heart-breaking loss on penalties.
When it comes to Euro 2024 though, England never got into a position to relinquish anything, they were always playing catch-up. Reaching the final again is still a great achievement, but we have to acknowledge our luck in getting there and ask what really needs to change if this current England side are to fulfil their potential. The players keep telling us how much they love playing for Southgate, but are they showing us that enough on the pitch...
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