England at Euro 24: Gareth Southgate has as many detractors as supporters – but could this time really be our time?

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Another tournament, another huge wave of national expectation, climaxing on Sunday when England, err, won 1-0.

As many wise footballing men have said over the years a win is a win, and at this stage of the competition it’s all about getting out of the group by whichever means.

There were times on Sunday when England showed glimpses of what they’re capable of, and in Jude Bellingham, perhaps the most complete English footballer since Bryan Robson, England have a player that could perform at the top level on the world stage for at least the next decade.

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But Sunday’s final whistle still brought more questions than answers, and perhaps the biggest elephant in the room, is the perceived ability, or lack of it, of Mr Gareth Southgate

England manager Gareth Southgate | Picture: Julian Finney/Getty ImagesEngland manager Gareth Southgate | Picture: Julian Finney/Getty Images
England manager Gareth Southgate | Picture: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Despite getting the team to the World Cup semi-final in 2018, the Euro final in 2021, the World cup quarter finals in 2022, the England manager appears to have nearly as many detractors as supporters among the massed ranks of the nation’s football fans.

But I’m from that generation who, aside from collecting the Esso coins in 1970, had a barren decade where England failed to qualify for successive World Cups with a duff Euro campaign wedged in between. Southgate’s achievements by comparison could almost be deemed impressive.

To quote Horatio Nelson, England does indeed expect – but while we all hope this time will be our time and football will finally come ‘home’, there’s a great many whose only real expectation is that Southgate will again come up short tactically at the vital moment.

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I will put my hand up and admit I’m one of those detractors, then again, I was in the stadiums in Moscow and at Wembley against Croatia and Italy in 2018 and 2021 when England appeared to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Where’s Uri Geller when you need him? Maybe we all, myself included, need to be a bit more positive when it comes to the manager. With this talented squad, this time (more than any other time) surely he can’t fail?

Three points against Denmark on Thursday will be a start.

Finally I must congratulate my old mukka and FA vice chairman Jack Pearce, now Jack Pearce MBE, honoured for services to football – thoroughly deserved.

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