In the immediate aftermath of England’s quarter-final defeat by France, Gareth Southgate was unsure if he would watch the final week of the World Cup. The pain was still too raw and the England manager felt the need to put some emotional distance between himself and Qatar while he decided his future.
In the end, Southgate did watch both midweek semi-finals, albeit with mixed feelings and the sense of opportunity missed, particularly France’s win over Morocco.
