Gareth Southgate may not be everyone's cup of tea, but English football wouldn't be where it is today without him.
Whatever you make of his tactics, squad selections, alleged "wokery" and whatever other criticism gets hurled his way, there's no denying that the 52-year-old has taken England 's senior team further than they've gone for generations. Having given himself a week to ponder his future following his side's World Cup exit, coming after a narrow 2-1 defeat to eventual runners-up France in the quarter-finals, Southgate delighted his bosses at the Football Association by deciding to see out his contract and once again go in search of glory.
Over six years of undeniable progress on and off the pitch, it's the Three Lions player-turned-manager who takes much of the acclaim for milestones such as reaching a semi-final, final and quarter-final in successive major tournaments. But like any boss, Southgate has been helped immensely by his colleagues - in particular two men who've already waved goodbye to St George's Park and are now in high-profile Premier League roles.
