World Cup hopes dashed by curse of ITV
England 1 v France 2
Can we dream of a stress free last half hour? So ended my last missive the answer now all too disappointingly proffered. Gallant losers seems to be the tag all too readily attached to Gareth Southgate’s England teams. This, afterall was the year we possessed the talent, experience and mental fortitude to claim football’s greatest prize. Yet it was not to be as a smorgasbord of ill luck, poor refereeing, nerves, French grit, cautious tactics and the dreaded curse of ITV combined to ensure that once again English dreams of claiming their first major tournament victory for fifty-six years were dashed. Since 1998 England have won just three of their 17 world cup matches aired on ITV compared with an astounding 12 out of 16 on the BBC. It’s possibly Aunties trump card in retaining the license fee.
As he and his squad return from Qatar, Manager Southgate will now take time to reflect on his continuing role as England’s manager. Of recent times he has been its most successful albeit one who struggles to allay the suspicion that he is deficient in the art of team selection and tactical nous.
Back in 2016 when he first took on the role of England Manager the game was at rock bottom. An abject campaign in that years’ European Championships closely followed by the get rich quick antics of Sam Allardyce made us a laughing stock. The players seemed permanently paralysed by the weight of wearing an England jersey and there was a sense that club team rivalries trumped collective endeavour. It was during these early months that Southgate’s man management proved transformational. Ego was out, playing for the greater good was in. Pressure to perform was also diminished and before too long playing for England became something to cherish. Nothing confirmed the transformation more than England’s barrier breaking run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup. The curse of exit via penalties had been purged. Big tournament knock out football was something to embrace. As England returned from gallant defeat to Croatia, Southgate’s stock could not have been higher. There were calls for a Knighthood. Expectation had been exceeded.
Three years later he was at it again, this time in the delayed 2020 European Championships. Once again curses were slayed as England finally beat Germany in a knock-out game before making it to the final where once again they were gallant losers this time to an aging Italy. All of which leads us to the 2022 World Cup and another gallant exit albeit to the reigning World Champions, but at a stage earlier than anticipated.
It is clear from the state of English football back in the dark days of 2016 that Gareth Southgate’s achievements have been considerable. But in failing to defeat Croatia, Italy, and now France has he also displayed a lack of tactical awareness that, however good his motivational skills, will forever limit England’s achievements?
When England lost to Croatia, Southgate declared that his team needed to get better at retaining possession. They required someone of the ilk of Luca Modric, a floating inside forward to pull the strings in the final third of the pitch. In the six years since that observation there has been no sign of developing such a player or picking a system to embrace it. Furthermore, as in the game v Croatia England took the lead against Italy only to then sit back in the hope of holding onto to what they had rather than adding to their lead. Result; Italy dominated long periods of the game and equalised. What England needed was a change of system embracing ball players. Yet Southgate merely made like for like replacements which did nothing to change the dynamic. As they entered extra time Italy’s aging defenders were there for the taking. But it didn’t happen.
We know that in Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Sako and Marcus Rashford – and to a lesser extent Jack Grealish - England has the best crop of young players in a generation. Southgate has nurtured many of these from his time as Under 21 Manager. But whilst we have all this talent, they are rarely all on the field at the same time nor in positions where they can most influence play. With half an hour to go yesterday surely all of these lads should have been on. It’s as if the manager is driving a Ferrari with the hand break permanently on.
That Gareth Southgate has achieved much is not in doubt. But has he taken the England team as far as he can? It will be this on which he will mull over the coming weeks.
©Mark Brennand