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UEFA Euros 2024

Still nobody prepared to stick their heads above the parapet and say who their chosen messiah is to succeed Southgate - come on folk you're not usually short on opinions.
 
I don't think this is complicated.

1. Southgate fixed the ENG underachievement problem that had existed since 1970. For this he is to be applauded.
2. At the moment, ENG have better than normal set of players and many traditionally strong teams are weaker than normal and/or young. Although we are missing depth at a few key spots (FB, CH).
3. ENG should be playing well at this tournament and have a good chance of winning.
4. The main reason they are not is because they have *very obvious* coaching problems that Southgate cannot or will not address.
5. We have a good DEF and are actually ok in the final third based on the limited number of times we have managed to get possession there.
6. Our problems are all in midfield where we cannot link play between the defenders and the final third and get stuck passing it sideways
7. This also creates natural space between the DEF and MID which every team we have played has been able to exploit and force us onto the backfoot.
8. These problems look in the main to be structural not player related (the inability to replace, er, Kalvin Philips not withstanding).

The most worrying for me is the player interviews. They sound completely divorced from reality and in denial about how badly they are playing which harks back to the problems we can unequivocally say Southgate fixed.

Also the biggest problem is who should replace Southgate as it's a terrible job and there are very few obvious candidates. Eddie Howe I guess? Or possibly one of those coaches who manage Spurs and seem to do alright for a bit before getting sacked.
 
Alex S said:
Roy Hodgson doesn't count :)
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Obvs 2010 was Capello but as you wish, let's look at the four tournaments preceding Hodgson:

2004 Euros
Lose to Portugal on penalties after a 2-2 draw

2006 WC
R16 Beat Ecuador 1-0
R8 Lose to Portugal on penalties after a 0-0 draw

2008 Euros
Did not qualify for the tournament

2010 WC
R16 Lost to Germany 4-1

And again I am not cherry picking- this is the record of all of our games in the four tournaments before Roy.

So won 1 lost 3. Southgate has won 7 lost 4 although I would argue the 3/4th game defeat to Belgium shouldn't really count so won 7 lost 3.
 
Wharton for Mainoo might help fix the midfield distribution problems that @matthewr describes. However, he is young and I haven't seen much of him.
If Southgate refuses to play Foden as a 10 he should be dropped and replaced by Gordon.

Of the available managers I'd choose Poch but he's Argentinian which would go well with the match going fans. So I'd definitely pick him in that case.

Eddie Howe is not available.

@Spraggons Den how is you calling posters "gobshites" and "know alls" not abusive?
 
Sorry, I've got it all wrong. Southgate is a thrilling manager with a hitherto unseen degree of tactical acumen, getting a bunch of average cloggers to play scintillating attacking football, a team far greater than the sum of its parts. Should be knighted immediately and remain in post for the next six tournaments.
 
The golden rules in sports analytics are a) beware of small sample sizes and b) adjust your priors. So if you want to judge Southgate (or indeed any national manager) you need to look at more granular data about how his teams play. It's entirely possible that Southgate is a really bad coach and his good results are mostly explained by luck.

Although, as I said, I do think he did a massive thing by changing the "ENG are inherently terrible and will never win" into "ENG should be competitive and win one every now and again".
 
Curtis said:
At the end of the day the players are not gelling, he must know this and has to think of personnel changes or a different formation. The latter being a hard thing to do mid tournament but probably worth a go now.
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England played two friendlies before this tournament started, it was obvious then changes needed to be made. After our first two games England had qualified to the last 16, I did suggest fielding a team of the unused players and giving the 'stars' a rest, it would have enabled him to try something else. He's the most negative England manager I can remember.
 
I understand your frustrations and agree in part but if he was that negative he wouldn’t bother picking flare players like he has throughout his tenure.
 
Spraggons Den said:
Even Southgate wouldn't wish that on himself. Who's your preferred choice? Edit sorry I presumed your were joking with Curbishley.
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I agree that's not easy. There are only two English managers in the EPL and I'm not in favour of appointing Sean Dyche. No English manager has won the EPL although Howard Wilkinson did the year before it started. On balance though, I'm in favour of an English manager for the National team. So that leaves Eddie Howe or Graham Potter. Both are less risk-averse than Southgate, both play decent football, both have experience. I might give it to Potter since Chelsea are just a basket case. Hardly a thrilling prospect, I admit, just think Southgate's gone as far as he can. If he proves me wrong through the remainder of this tournament I'll be as happy as anyone.
 
Going back further to the preceding four tournaments:

1998 WC
R16 Lost v Argentina on pens after 2-2 draw

2000 Euros
Knocked out at the group stage

2002 WC
R16 Won v Denmark 3-0
R8 Lost v Brazil 1-2

2004 Euros
Lost to Portugal on pens after 2-2 draw

So over this period covering Hoddle (tactical genius), Keegan (great at Man C and Newcastle) and Ericsson (?), with access to the golden generation our record was we lost 3 and won 1.
 
Alex S said:
I agree that's not easy. There are only two English managers in the EPL and I'm not in favour of appointing Sean Dyche. No English manager has won the EPL although Howard Wilkinson did the year before it started. On balance though, I'm in favour of an English manager for the National team. So that leaves Eddie Howe or Graham Potter. Both are less risk-averse than Southgate, both play decent football, both have experience. I might give it to Potter since Chelsea are just a basket case. Hardly a thrilling prospect, I admit, just think Southgate's gone as far as he can. If he proves me wrong through the remainder of this tournament I'll be as happy as anyone.
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100% in agreement with this post.
 
I'll resume my England discussion after the Swiss game (5th ranked team plays 19th).

I'm looking forward to France vs Belgium, especially if Belgium turn up.
 
Weekender said:
I try to be a good person but this keeps popping out at me on Page 1. ;)

Who's your preferred choice?
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Very good.

If you want attacking football, then go with big Ange at Tottenham for the way he makes them play out from the back and through the lines but I guess the style of play comes from hours on the training ground.

Maybe Roberto Mancini for his tactical acumen which undoubtedly counts for a lot at international level but not sure he could be persuaded to leave Saudi.
 
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