The Game Football Podcast

Chief sports correspondent for The Times Matt Lawton and Chief sports writer for the Sunday Times David Walsh join Tom Clarke for a unique look at England manager Gareth Southgate.

David Walsh helped write Southgate’s award winning book in 2004 and broke the news in 2022 that Southgate would be staying on as England manager. Matt Lawton has covered England throughout Southgate’s tenure. Both give rare insight into how he operates and what the man is really like.

If you missed part one yesterday they discussed his playing career. In part two it is management…

Managerial career

2’ Destined to be manager. Many thought he effectively managed Middlesborough from the changing room in his final season.

4’ Southgate happy to express his frustration and disapproval of managers, or situations.

6’ Worked under a wide variety of England managers. David Beckham.

7’Middlesborough a great opportunity, but at a tough time with money running out. Southgate blooded the young players. Devastate to get the sack at Middlesborough. Steve Gibson now acknowledges he should never have sacked him. Was he too nice.

England

15’ England under 21’s opportunity. A chance to change English football. How to produce technically better footballers.

18’ Not a candidate for England after Hodgson left. Nor did he think he’d get the job. He was put forward as a shop gap, a second rater for three games. Southgate objected and wished to be a contender or not at all. FA relented and gave him the chance. He took it.

24’turbulence and distraction with Eriksen and Capello. Then the farce of Allardyce. Southgate proved to be the antidote.

27’ a natural in the arena. Became what he wanted to be. Changed how England play, how they are perceived and turn England into a place where players want to be.  

His three tournaments as manager

32’ was 2018 his bets achievement. With the team he had and the system he played? He changed the culture. Brings good people around him.

36’ How he handled Wayne Rooney’s exit. Losing on penalties to Italy and losing to a very good French team in Qatar.  

Tactical awareness…

40’ he has always been tactically aware, as player and manager. He never respected managers who he thought had no idea.

46’ Not really close to leaving.

“We talked about the game…”

52’ Jude Bellingham age.

Does he need to win something. Not really he has already been a success.  Is he still the best man for the job. From losing to Iceland a euro final and world cup semi. England in a much better place than when he took the job.