Gareth Southgate’s bid to lead England to major championship glory once again ended in heart-breaking fashion at the final hurdle. A tournament that started with calls for the manager to leave ended with a second straight European Championship final appearance as Southgate’s side came within one game of joining the heroes of 1966 in footballing immortality. Once again, though, that last barrier proved an insurmountable one.
Sir Alf Ramsey’s World Cup triumph remains the only trophy won by an England men’s team, but it was the only final in 23 tournament appearances before Southgate took charge. In the four tournaments since then they have reached back-to-back European Championship finals as well as a suffering narrow World Cup semi-final and quarter-finals defeats. That impressive record is made all the more remarkable given the wreck Southgate inherited eight years ago.
Failure to make it out of their 2014 World Cup group was compounded by an even more humiliating Euros last-16 exit to Iceland two years later. Roy Hodgson immediately fell on his sword and successor Sam Allardyce’s reign lasted a mere one match and 67 days, leading to Southgate taking another call from the Football Association. The England Under-21s boss had rebuffed their calls when Hodgson left, but a change of heart saw him temporarily parachuted in and eventually handed the post on a permanent basis.
Southgate is an erudite, softly-spoken coach and fine man manager unafraid to make big decisions.