Gareth Southgate was true to his word. The England manager always said that he would not go to see Dear England at the National Theatre, the play by the acclaimed writer, James Graham, about how Southgate has transformed the mood around the national set-up. And he did not go.
Too awkward, in Southgate’s opinion. He never felt comfortable with the idea, which is a shame because he missed a sympathetic and beautifully pitched portrayal of him by Joseph Fiennes. It is not every day that you get to have a heavyweight of the English stage as you. The production does transfer to the West End in early October, although Southgate’s position will not change.
