Yeah. You’ve got a good memory! My other Grandad was Arthur Wright who played for SAFC and was also a coach for a few years as well.
I don’t get the hatred of Southgate. He’s taken England to 2 semi finals and a final in the 3 tournaments they’ve entered. Better than all of the previous 11 permanent managers, yet people still knock him….
No denying he has done a decent job but the problem is we are absolutely awful to watch and way too cautious considering the players we have in the squad. Maybe part of that is because this Nations League is crap.
I agree with this - I hear all the time people saying that he should be replaced with a forward thinking manager who will get the best out of the squad but nobody ever mentions any names as to who this mythical beast is
Yep, the curse of being England manager... doing well, in big tournaments is not good enough (deluded fools). It seems they want style over substance. Then again, other than Kane, who do we have that is clearly world class. Grealish imho flatters to deceive. Southgate sets us up as hard to beat (remind you of anyone?), then hoping Kane or perhaps Stirling will nick a goal. Sterling missed a sitter last night.
I think better manager would have won the euros maybe got to the final of the World Cup. How culpable Soutgate is in that final with Italy I can't decide. England were on top with Italy not getting near, Italy made a couple of changes, I seem to recall, and from there they got back into it. Was this Soutgate out moved? Or did he make a switch to go defensive and protect the lead? I can accept a manager being out thought but if he switched tactics then it's on him.
We have had better players with supposed world class managers in the past and not done as well as this england. Totally agree they are dire to watch sometimes but Southgate to me is very much over achieving with this group and is playing a way that gets us ultra competitive when it matters
I think the last 2 games were pointless in a World Cup year, the top players play more than anyone else because of Cup competitions. For me GS is doing a good job, 2 semis and a final, but he needs to keep his gob shut about anything barring football matters.
I'm sure he had a pop at the fans during one of the fan engagement meetings as well. 'uneducated northerners' or something like that.
Sadly, I've no idea what this tournament is about. At one time I'd get almost as excited about England games as Sunderland. This whole Qatar, corruption, player apathy has killed it for me.
Good morning mate. Won't be watching a second of the world cup as it stinks. Not saying everyone should do that, but it is my path.
I'm planning an afternoon watching the highlights of all the play-offs ... ... there'll come a time, all too soon, when the buzz has left. But not yet
