When we last heard from Gareth Southgate, there was defiance, a characteristic stoicism but a kind of weariness, too. It was after the 0-0 draw against Slovenia on Tuesday night when he was jeered by the England support, a small number of them also throwing plastic cups at him.
The tensions had built. From the defeat by Iceland at Wembley in what was supposed to have been the grand Euro 2024 sendoff through the poorly received win over Serbia in the opening group tie to the dismal performance in the draw with Denmark. More and more dissatisfaction, lots of booing and then the line from the manager about how the environment around the squad was different to everywhere else and why he felt it was “probably because of me”.
The body language experts have been out in force, although you did not need a psychology degree to see a man who was suffering, probably asking a few existential questions as well.
Southgate has wanted to protect the players, to act as a shield for them in the face of all the criticism and we are not just talking about that from the media. It is in every pub back at home and every bar out here, even from non-England fans; especially from non-England fans. “Ah, you are English. Why is your team so bad?”
In the countdown to Sunday’s last- 16 tie against Slovakia, it has been easy to worry about Southgate’s state of mind and the possible knock-on effect to the players. Where has the joy gone?
It felt essential for Southgate to radiate plenty of positivity in his pre-match messaging, even a little fun, together with reassurance for a fretful nation. When he did, it was as though he drew a thick line under the trauma of Slovenia. He had called for a “reset” after Denmark, which did not happen. Maybe it has done on this occasion.
“There’s definitely an excitement and a good feel around the group over the last few days,” he said. “It also coincided with being able to have a day off the training pitch [on Wednesday] and relaxing a little bit. A bit of golf. Stuff like that. It’s not always science.
“We’re surrounded by science and data in our world now and sport is about joy and enjoyment. Sometimes in a tournament it [the football] is all you’ve got to think about and you need other stuff to talk about and enjoy and focus on. I feel we’ve been through a good few days in that sense. A nice balance of thorough preparation but also some time to switch off.”
With that, Southgate was into a chat about the staff padel competition. Humble brag alert: he and his partner – the kit man, Pat Frost – are into the final; opponents TBC. Southgate had mentioned the happy birthday renditions before training on Thursday morning for Jude Bellingham (21) and Eberechi Eze (26). There were laughs to be had on Wednesday’s bike ride, although not really for Anthony Gordon after his wipeout. The cricket knockarounds have gone down well.
“I’m enjoying being here,” Southgate said. “I want to be here for another fortnight. I’ve got nothing to rush back for. I’m in the final of the padel. There’s a lot to look forward to.”
Southgate said it did not cross his mind that every game from now on could be his last with England. Slovakia will be his 99th as the manager. He is intent on reaching the century, at least. It is when he reflects on his rich experiences, especially in knockout football, that he has something to lean on. He has won six of his nine major tournament knockout ties. Which is as many as England won from after the 1966 World Cup triumph to when he took over in 2016.
“The biggest thing is that we know what we have done over a long period of time works,” he said. “When you are a younger manager, you don’t always have evidence from results and you are not certain where the players might be with ideas. As you get more experienced, you know where the group of players you are working with are; you know when they are with you and you know what they need to do to win football matches.
“There is no question: you cannot fast-track that feeling. But that is very much where I feel I am now. Eight years in the job have taught me how to handle all of this, to keep the staff and players on track. To me that bit is more straightforward now. That might have been different a few years ago.”
It is only Slovakia. Every England supporter has thought it. They should not have done. Southgate described Slovakia as having produced some of the best performances he had seen at the tournament – together with Georgia and Austria – and he knows they will press high in their 4-3-3 system, get their full-backs up early and use the ball well, looking to build from the back. Southgate gave a prominent name-check to the Napoli playmaker Stanislav Lobotka, who sits in front of the defence.
“I suppose that’s what we’ve been dealing with all tournament,” Southgate said, when the notion of English entitlement was raised. “When people say easy draws … I don’t think Germany in the round of 16 at the last Euros was a particularly easy draw, given we’d never beaten them in a tournament [knockout tie] since 1966. We can only deal with our own messaging to the players and staff.”
On that subject, Southgate talks one-to-one with the players every day; it is a drip-feed of information and he does not build up to a stirring pre-match address. “I tend not to speak immediately before the game,” Southgate said. “One of the players will do that. By the time you get to the kick-off, less is better.
“The players are normally ready and you expect them with their experience to be in the right zone, the right frame of mind. They know what is required, they know what these games entail and they know we have to play well.”
