Post by riochforthereebok on Dec 12, 2022 11:42:25 GMT
‘Morning after the night before’
Time to reflect on the what if’s and should he stay or should he go?
Half of me says that Southgate had the luck of the golden generation after Russia 2018 which proved to be right as it culminated in us reaching the Euro 2020 final to Italy.
A great achievement by Southgate and the team
Only, when France were runners up in 2016, they went on to win the World Cup in 2018 with their golden generation
Who knows ‘if’ that penalty had gone in at 2-2 where we’d be, I know we played better than France in that second half but they just seemed to know how and when to step it up, as they did, after our first penalty (the marking of Giroud was atrocious from Stones and Walker, they’d only just had a warning a few seconds before he scored)
Would we have won on penalties??? Big question
So we ask the question on Southgate, should he stay or should he go?
Clearly it’s down to him and not fan pressure or FA pressure
Summat tells me he’ll quit for family reasons but let’s see.
I have criticised him in the past as we are laborious in the way we start games (just like Evatt) but one cannot argue that he’s stable, knows the squad, perhaps doesn’t use them to their max but he’s progressed well with them and I think the FA are more than happy with him.
He’s not flamboyant, he’s no Big Sam or Terry Venebles and he’s certainly not a Hodgson, Ericsson or Capello, he’s ‘safe’ and media friendly
That continuity could help us for Euro 24 in Germany as all the other nations appear to be in transition and if France’s journey is anything to go off, we must be up for, at the very least, a semi-final spot in both the Euro’s and the next WC
If it’s not that the managers of these other countries have left their jobs after Qatar, then it’s the players of these teams are getting old, like Ronaldo, Muller, Alba, Busquest, Vertonghen etc that need to be replaced by the next gen
Germany
Belgium
Spain
Portugal
Even France have old’s that need to retire form international duty like Lloris, Varane, Giroud and Griezeman, whereas we have an abundance of age on our side
When it comes to USA 2026 World Cup, the likes of Bellingham, Sancho, White, TTA, Rice, Foden, Saka, Grealish, Rashford and Ramsdale will all be in their prime, although the likes of Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier will be 34-36 years old but I’m sure we’ll find new jewels in the crown by the time it starts
I’d say stick with Southgate just for Germany 24 and if we fail that, then it’s time for a fresh challenge for USA26 (not Touchel) but if Brazil are interested in Guardiola, then why not England
Food for thought
Time to reflect on the what if’s and should he stay or should he go?
Half of me says that Southgate had the luck of the golden generation after Russia 2018 which proved to be right as it culminated in us reaching the Euro 2020 final to Italy.
A great achievement by Southgate and the team
Only, when France were runners up in 2016, they went on to win the World Cup in 2018 with their golden generation
Who knows ‘if’ that penalty had gone in at 2-2 where we’d be, I know we played better than France in that second half but they just seemed to know how and when to step it up, as they did, after our first penalty (the marking of Giroud was atrocious from Stones and Walker, they’d only just had a warning a few seconds before he scored)
Would we have won on penalties??? Big question
So we ask the question on Southgate, should he stay or should he go?
Clearly it’s down to him and not fan pressure or FA pressure
Summat tells me he’ll quit for family reasons but let’s see.
I have criticised him in the past as we are laborious in the way we start games (just like Evatt) but one cannot argue that he’s stable, knows the squad, perhaps doesn’t use them to their max but he’s progressed well with them and I think the FA are more than happy with him.
He’s not flamboyant, he’s no Big Sam or Terry Venebles and he’s certainly not a Hodgson, Ericsson or Capello, he’s ‘safe’ and media friendly
That continuity could help us for Euro 24 in Germany as all the other nations appear to be in transition and if France’s journey is anything to go off, we must be up for, at the very least, a semi-final spot in both the Euro’s and the next WC
If it’s not that the managers of these other countries have left their jobs after Qatar, then it’s the players of these teams are getting old, like Ronaldo, Muller, Alba, Busquest, Vertonghen etc that need to be replaced by the next gen
Germany
Belgium
Spain
Portugal
Even France have old’s that need to retire form international duty like Lloris, Varane, Giroud and Griezeman, whereas we have an abundance of age on our side
When it comes to USA 2026 World Cup, the likes of Bellingham, Sancho, White, TTA, Rice, Foden, Saka, Grealish, Rashford and Ramsdale will all be in their prime, although the likes of Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier will be 34-36 years old but I’m sure we’ll find new jewels in the crown by the time it starts
I’d say stick with Southgate just for Germany 24 and if we fail that, then it’s time for a fresh challenge for USA26 (not Touchel) but if Brazil are interested in Guardiola, then why not England
Food for thought