Now the dust has settled on the Three Lions’ World Cup campaign, we’ve taken a look at what’s next for England and provided a verdict on Gareth Southgate’s future. Has the gaffer taken this squad as far as he can, or is this just the beginning?
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World Cup 2022: A missed opportunity?
It certainly feels that way. Knowing a well-drilled, yet unspectacular Morocco side awaited in the semi-final, you can’t help but think England would have been favourites to go all the way. But it wasn’t meant to be. Once again, Southgate’s side bailed out with their first real test.
However, the England boys will leave Qatar with their heads held high. They were largely the better side against the reigning champions, albeit without creating a huge number of chances. A lack of execution from 12 yards proved the decisive moment on the day, with Harry Kane seemingly running out of time to lead his nation to glory.
So close, yet so far. Four years looks a long way away for some of these ageing England stars. Focus will return to domestic football for now, but those in charge will be closely eyeing up Euro 2024 in Germany.
What’s next for England?
There are only so many times you can say: ‘this is a young and exciting squad’. There comes a point when that young and exciting squad must start delivering on the biggest stage. Has Southgate elevated this team to the highest possible level he’s capable of?
It remains to be seen who will be in charge come 2024, but England have to be among the favourites heading into the competition. The likes of Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford will all travel with 18 months more experience at the highest level.
Even the older heads in the group: your Harry Kanes, Jordan Hendersons and Harry Maguires, will all have plenty to offer. The longevity of Kane looks the pivotal point. With no clear world class replacement fighting tooth and nail to nick the Spurs forward’s spot, England are as reliant on him as ever.
That being said, the Three Lions are in a good spot for Euro 2024, and even for the 2026 World Cup across North America. But do they need a new manager to unleash their potential?
Should England part ways with Southgate?
Now, most will agree that Southgate has done a decent job with England. Word from inside the camp is that he has brought unity and cohesion – which hasn’t always been the case with the national team. However, that doesn’t mean he is exempt from criticism.
It’s worth noting Southgate entered the England setup off the merit of his time with Middlesbrough, where he accumulated a rather lacklustre 29.8% win rate. His work with the England u21s must be taken into consideration, but the Three Lions youth teams are consistently among the best in world football.
Whilst Southgate is a good representative for the nation, can he really lead England to glory? His hesitation in making big calls has been called into question numerous times in recent tournaments. His defensive approach in the Euro 2020 final and penalty takers selection springs to mind, but he also could have made positive changes earlier on in the defeat to France.
Whilst these may seem like small margins, football matches are decided on small margins. It is the proactive, ruthless managers that succeed, which you could hardly describe Southgate as. So, whilst he has undoubtedly done some good work with the national team, the argument remains, how many could have done a similar job with the talent in this side? And how many would have taken them one step further?
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