Message from Gareth Southgate - Dear England

Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret said:
Basically the difference between Southgates england and other managers England is they can win penalty shootouts.
The difference between England and teams that do better in the past was mainly that England lost their penalty shootouts.
Next thing he needs to manage is beating a decent team in the knockout rounds. No one's ever done that before, with the possible exception of Belgium in 90.
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Venables won a penalty shootout against a decent team. So he's got at least one!
 
Konrad_the_Barbarian said:
First of all, why are so angry all the time ? What don't you understand about other people having a different opinion to yourself 🤡



Secondly...... no he hasn't. Not yet, at least not in the International competitions that count i.e.. World Cup and European Championships.

Gareth:
2018 World Cup Semi-finalists. (4th Place)

Sir Bobby:
1986 World Cup 1/4-final.
1988 European Championship group stage.
1990 World Cup Semi-finalists (4th place)

Also Sir Bobby's club record puts him way ahead of Southgate as a manager.
1978 Ipswich Town FC - FA Cup winners
1981 Ipswich Town FC - UEFA Cup winners
1991 PSV League Title
1892 PSV League Title
1995 Porto - League and Cup Double
1996 FC Barcelona. Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup i
1997 Voted European Manager of the Year (1996-1997 season)

I'd say that record makes him a far better manager.... and that is fact not opinion.
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I was just about to reply in a similar way, BoroMart has some interesting and thoughtful opinions but seems to unaware that other opinions are valid even if he disagrees with them.
 
In 86 without Robson's injury and Wilkins sending off we wouldn't have got out of the group, and he wouldn't have been manager in 90.

In 90 we were very unlucky after drawing with the Germans in the semi final, the penalties are a lottery. We won 3, drew 3, lost one.

In the last world cup we won 3, drew one which we won on penalties, and lost 3. That was with a good draw, we should have made the final.

We had a tougher route in 90, facing the best team in the world in the semi final and the hosts in the play off.

For me we've now got.a better attack though the defence isn't so hot, but how would you rate Terry Fenwick, any better than these?
 
I tell you what we were an eyesore for most of the 1990 tournament. If you think our football can be a tad disjointed now, go watch the games vs ROI, Egypt and most of the Cameroon game. We admittedly were class against Germany though, and very good against Holland in the group.

Btw I don’t agree we had a harder run in 1990 for a start what possible relevance is there to who we played in the 3rd place game!

Belgium were average and Cameroon had just been battered 6-0 by Russia so not exactly unbeatable!
 
Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
In 86 without Robson's injury and Wilkins sending off we wouldn't have got out of the group, and he wouldn't have been manager in 90.
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Not sure I understand this part. If Robson wasn’t injured and was fully fit we might have won/drawn this game against Portugal ( instead of losing) and if Wilkins hadn’t been sent off we might have beaten Morocco ( instead of drawing).
 
Ratedr69 said:
Dear England,

It has been an extremely difficult year. Everyone in this country has been directly affected by isolation and loss. But we have also seen countless examples of heroism and sacrifice. It’s given us all a new understanding of the fragility of life and what really matters. When you think of the grand scheme of things, perhaps football doesn’t seem so important. And what I want to speak about today is much bigger than football.

As we go into this summer, I know that there will be a lot of emotion tied up in the Euros, and in this England team. I can’t possibly hope to speak for an entire country, but I would like to share a few things with you, as we begin this journey.

There’s something I tell our players before every England game, and the reason that I repeat it is because I really believe it with all my heart.

I tell them that when you go out there, in this shirt, you have the opportunity to produce moments that people will remember forever.

You are a part of an experience that lasts in the collective consciousness of our country.

We saw that during Russia 2018, with the street parties, the barbecues and with every drop of beer thrown into the air in celebration. When England play, it’s not a few thousand — or even a few million — watching on subscription. You are representing more than 50 million people.

You remember where you were watching England games. And who you were watching with. And who you were at the time.

The first England match I really remember watching was in the 1982 World Cup, when I was 11. It was the first World Cup England had qualified for in my lifetime and I was obsessed. I had the wall chart, ready to fill in with every result, every goalscorer, every detail.

I rushed home from school for England’s opener against France to see Bryan Robson score after just 27 seconds! To witness that as a young Manchester United-supporting midfielder whose hero was Robson … well, it’s safe to say I was hooked.

Gareth Southgate | England National Football Team | The Players' Tribune' Tribune

Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images
Later that same year, I watched Luther Blissett get a hat trick in a 9-0 win over Luxembourg. That specific result might have been forgotten by many but it really stuck for me.

Every game, no matter the opposition, has the potential to create a lifelong memory for an England fan somewhere.

Why do we care so much?

Like with our own memories of watching England, everyone has a different idea of what it actually means to be English. What pride means.

For me, personally, my sense of identity and values is closely tied to my family and particularly my granddad. He was a fierce patriot and a proud military man, who served during World War II.

The idea of representing “Queen and country” has always been important to me. We do pageantry so well in Britain, and, growing up, things like the Queen’s silver jubilee and royal weddings had an impact on me.

Because of my granddad, I’ve always had an affinity for the military and service in the name of your country — though the consequence of my failure in representing England will never be as high as his. My granddad’s values were instilled in me from a young age and I couldn’t help but think of him when I lined up to sing the national anthem before my first international caps.

My belief is that everyone has that pride. And that includes the players.


What is sometimes forgotten is just how much it means to the players.

Players are fans too, after all. That’s how it starts. It starts with kids sitting in front of TVs, with wall charts and heroes.

Undoubtedly, we’re in a different era now, where footballers aren’t as accessible to fans as they once were. They don’t ride the same bus home from games, or meet in the pub for a pint and a post-match analysis.

But, despite all the changes in modern football, what cannot be questioned about the current generation of England players is their pride in representing this country.

This idea that some players don’t know what it means to play for England — or don’t care — has become something of a false narrative.

You don’t need to dig deep to realise that.

You only need to see what I see when an under-15 comes into St. George’s Park for the first time, or when a senior player arrives on their first call-up. The pride for them, their families and their communities back home is huge.

Gareth Southgate | England National Football Team | The Players' Tribune' Tribune

Christopher Lee/UEFA via Getty Images
The journey to earn an England cap is an incredibly difficult one, regardless of background or circumstance.

Only around 1,200 players have represented England at senior men’s level. Ever.

It’s a profound privilege. Don’t forget, many of our lads started out at Football League clubs like Barnsley, MK Dons and Sheffield United. Their backgrounds are humble. For them to make it to this point as one of the chosen few in England’s history … well, it simply doesn't happen without pride.

This is a special group. Humble, proud and liberated in being their true selves.

Our players are role models. And, beyond the confines of the pitch, we must recognise the impact they can have on society. We must give them the confidence to stand up for their teammates and the things that matter to them as people.

I have never believed that we should just stick to football.

I know my voice carries weight, not because of who I am but because of the position that I hold. At home, I’m below the kids and the dogs in the pecking order but publicly I am the England men’s football team manager. I have a responsibility to the wider community to use my voice, and so do the players.

It’s their duty to continue to interact with the public on matters such as equality, inclusivity and racial injustice, while using the power of their voices to help put debates on the table, raise awareness and educate.

Social media has been a key resource in giving our players a platform and has been a positive tool in so many ways. In fact, I feel like this generation of England players is closer to the supporters than they have been for decades. Despite the polarisation we see in society, these lads are on the same wavelength as you on many issues.


That said, there are times when my parental instincts kick in. I can’t help it. After all, I’m old enough to be a father to most of my players!

I see players scrolling on their phones straight after the final whistle and I think … Hmmm, is that a particularly good idea?

Reading abusive comments on Twitter or Instagram is never going to help performance.

There are genuine risks for our players online and I will always want to protect them, but I would never put rules on how or when they use their accounts while on England duty. I trust them and know they are mature enough to make their own decisions, to do what’s right for their mental health and to keep being a force for good as we strive for a better society.

The last 18 months have put added pressure on everyone, I know. Venting that might have taken place while walking out of the stadium, or in the pub has been transferred online. I get that. However, there are things I will never understand.

Why would you tag someone in on a conversation that is abusive?

Why would you choose to insult somebody for something as ridiculous as the colour of their skin?

Why?

Unfortunately for those people that engage in that kind of behaviour, I have some bad news. You’re on the losing side. It’s clear to me that we are heading for a much more tolerant and understanding society, and I know our lads will be a big part of that.

It might not feel like it at times, but it’s true. The awareness around inequality and the discussions on race have gone to a different level in the last 12 months alone.

I am confident that young kids of today will grow up baffled by old attitudes and ways of thinking.

For many of that younger generation, your notion of Englishness is quite different from my own. I understand that, too.

I understand that on this island, we have a desire to protect our values and traditions — as we should — but that shouldn’t come at the expense of introspection and progress.

Gareth Southgate | England National Football Team | The Players' Tribune' Tribune

Nick Potts/Press Association via AP Images
Regardless of your upbringing and politics, what is clear is that we are an incredible nation — relative to our size and population — that has contributed so much to the arts, science and sport.

We do have a special identity and that remains a powerful motivator.

In a funny way, I see the same Englishness represented by the fans who protested against the Super League. We are independent thinkers. We speak out on the issues that matter to us and we are proud of that.

Of course, my players and I will be judged on winning matches. Only one team can win the Euros. We have never done it before and we are desperate to do it for the first time.

Believe me.

But, the reality is that the result is just a small part of it. When England play, there's much more at stake than that.

It’s about how we conduct ourselves on and off the pitch, how we bring people together, how we inspire and unite, how we create memories that last beyond the 90 minutes. That last beyond the summer. That last forever.

I think about all the young kids who will be watching this summer, filling out their first wall charts. No matter what happens, I just hope that their parents, teachers and club managers will turn to them and say, “Look. That’s the way to represent your country. That’s what England is about. That is what’s possible.”

If we can do that, it will be a summer to be proud of.

Yours,

Gareth Southgate

WHAT A GUY - COME ON ENGLAND !
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Quality, classy bloke
 
Lightweight said:
Not sure I understand this part. If Robson wasn’t injured and was fully fit we might have won/drawn this game against Portugal ( instead of losing) and if Wilkins hadn’t been sent off we might have beaten Morocco ( instead of drawing).
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We were playing poorly until the side was changed. Hateley's disappearance from the line up also helped.

The midfield performed far better with the replacements in.
 
atypical_boro said:
TBF Robson did do a lot better in club management.
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You say that, but if you compare their first jobs as managers then I wouldn't agree:

Robson 17% win rate:
England
January 1968​
November 1968​
36692116.67

Southgate 30%:
7 June 2006​
21 October 2009​
15145436329.8

Best win rates
Robson:
Portugal
January 1994​
July 1996​
12086231171.67
Southgate:
22 August 2013​
27 September 2016​
33273381.8

Now of course, I'm playing Devil's Advocate a little, but the point is Southgate has only got 10 years managing, and in jobs where winning something is near impossible. He is clearly a talented manager, and beyond England I reckon he will get a long term job at a Champions League side, he will be in very high demand, and if he chooses the right club he'll get trophies on his CV
 
zorro_mfc said:
I want England to do well and I’m fully behind Gareth this summer and I think he’s doing well with a young exciting squad

but come on let’s not rewrite history.
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No danger of that from me. I've said it before he could win the Euros and WC and it wouldn't change the fact he did badly here. But I do want him to do well with England.
 
BoroMart said:
You say that, but if you compare their first jobs as managers then I wouldn't agree:

Robson 17% win rate:
England
January 1968​
November 1968​
36692116.67

Southgate 30%:
7 June 2006​
21 October 2009​
15145436329.8

Best win rates
Robson:
Portugal
January 1994​
July 1996​
12086231171.67
Southgate:
22 August 2013​
27 September 2016​
33273381.8

Now of course, I'm playing Devil's Advocate a little, but the point is Southgate has only got 10 years managing, and in jobs where winning something is near impossible. He is clearly a talented manager, and beyond England I reckon he will get a long term job at a Champions League side, he will be in very high demand, and if he chooses the right club he'll get trophies on his CV
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Hmm well when he's won an FA Cup with little old Ipswich we'll talk.....:)
 
Konrad_the_Barbarian said:
First of all, why are so angry all the time ? What don't you understand about other people having a different opinion to yourself 🤡
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Not sure why you think I'm angry, just stating opinion, calm your cancel culture down. Pretty hypocritical that you complain about my opinion of your opinion. I don't have to accept your opinion unchallenged, it's a messageboard anything you type will be questioned by someone and feel free to question mine, unlike you I won't be offended by that.
 
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