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FA issue statement on Gareth Southgate’s future as England manager after recent form

The FA have took to issue a statement on Gareth Southgate’s future as England manager after their recent form in the Nations League.

Southgate’s side picked up just two points from their four Nations League fixtures, and fell to defeat home and away against Hungary. The 4-0 defeat at Molineux was the Three Lions’ biggest home defeat in 94 years.

Southgate’s side are three points behind third-placed Italy in their four-team group with just two matches remaining, meaning they are in real danger of being relegated from the Nations League’s top tier.

There have been calls for the Football Association to sack Gareth Southgate following the disappointing Nations League results this month. See more HERE.

It was confirmed on Tuesday that the FA are giving him the vote of confidence, reassuring the manager that his position is safe.

He is to remain the manager the FA wants to lead England into the World Cup in Qatar later this year despite growing calls to put Graham Potter in charge.

England have just two matches left – Nations League games against Italy and Germany in September – before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Iran on the 21st of November. England will come up against USA and Wales in Group B.

This is the longest winless run of Southgate’s tenure, while the four-match period without a victory is the longest England have endured since going five games without success in 2014.

The 51-year-old – who was appointed in September 2016 – led England to the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years in 2018, while they reached their first Euros final last summer, where they lost on penalties to Italy at Wembley.

Southgate also oversaw a third-place finish in the inaugural Nations League finals in Portugal in 2019.

Meanwhile, the FA are working on a joint strategy with other national associations to ‘shine a light’ on human rights abuses in Qatar ahead of the country’s hosting of the World Cup.

No decision has yet been made on whether they will contribute towards a fund designed to provide aid for bereaved workers’ families and to build a workers’ centre in Qatar.

Southgate signed a new deal until December 2024 last year and is now expected to change the public mood months leading up to the World Cup in Qatar this winter.

Hewitt offered her full support and said: “The first thing I’d say, my personal opinion on Gareth he is by and facts on the pitch the most successful England manager we’ve had for 55 years.

“The fact he’s taken us to a World Cup semi-final and a Euros final. The bit people don’t see as much is the Gareth at camp and the culture he’s created. Certainly prior to Gareth being the manager of England there was not the pride of wearing the England shirt.

“There were the club rivalries we’d read about. The players not getting on. He’s changed that beyond recognition and I’ve seen that first hand. I’d also say, I don’t just work in football I work in business and I’ve worked with a lot of chief executives and Gareth’s skills — his high IQ and high EQ — would make him a chief exec in any sphere. And that resilience and accountability, the two qualities I admire most about him, is he takes the accountability, there’s no sloping shoulders, he doesn’t huff, he’s resilient and that’s what you want in an England manager.”

Hewitt said she had a conversation with Southgate after the Hungary defeat – the fourth game in the Nations League this month with England drawing two and losing two without scoring a goal from open play – and also doubled down on giving him a new contract. Some claimed the FA jumped too soon in giving Southgate a new contract last year rather than biding their time which is a mistake they have done in the past, most notably with Fabio Capello before the 2010 World Cup which went badly.

Hewitt added: “Absolutely I’ve spoken to him, yes. Gareth’s reaction, as in everything with that sort of conversation, was that it is his accountability, there’s always something to learn. That’s why it’s refreshing working with somebody like that because that openness to learn is quite remarkable and quite unusual in any sphere.

“I think the contract is a bit of a red herring in a sense, because I don’t think we would be discussing it had we not had the recent series of games. Clearly we did that with proper discussion and thought. The fact that there’s been a stumble does not make us automatically say: ‘should we have given him a contract?’ It is a red herring. We have confidence in Gareth for all the reasons I described and I think that’s the important thing. And it’s particularly important going into the biggest tournament.”

Fans reacted as FA issue a statement on Gareth Southgate’s future as England manager after recent form…

@Ryan_Gooner97: Twitter meltdown in 3, 2, 1….

@Paul35255198: That’s a shame. Getting knocked out in group stage of world cup is gonna be painful

@DanAVFC_: This is why we’ll never win anything

@jack37663364: This FA has no ambition to win anything – we are talking about a manger who has never won anything as a manager? As was recently embarrassed by Hungary at home?

@KevWatson10: Misguided loyalty. Seems we are sacrificing a World Cup. Southgate is incapable of pulling the team out of this tailspin.

@WittonBrandon: odds on England to be eliminated by the round of 16?

@CharllCreative: fucking hell we’re rewarding failure

@craigsh23: This is why another generation of English talent will miss out on major honours. The FA are a joke of an organisation. Settling for mediocrity when have a squad capable of challenging. They beat some poor teams on route to finals & semi finals.

@MagicMeslier: Anything less than a semi final in Qatar and he should be out the door.

@Nin0_Bar0ne: God awful manager who is wasting our best ever squad but is woke so let’s keep him #SouthgateOut

@_punkandrock: I’m 52 and he’s been the most successful English manager in my lifetime, I’m not a fan of his tactics most of the time but he should be judged on his achievements in tournaments.

@neilsutcliffe75: Too right, top guy and most successful manager since 66. Hopefully he’ll be in place for many years yet.

@MattyHC5: Shame…. looking forward to witnessing us get embarrassed then!

@Segundo_VoIante: Course they have, they love a yes man, whatever the results. Six bloody tournaments of Hodgson & Southgate. Horrendously dour.

@Duncan24041974: I dont think Southgate has done anything with the England team that a non league coach with a UEFA pro license couldn’t do ..the England team practically picks itself..but when he is called upon to make game changing calls in the biggest matches, hes found wanting.

@HunterCPFC: Happy to remain serial losers.

@Ben_S1990: The fact this convo has even taken place is embarrassing. Blokes just taken us to a World Cup semi and euros, such an entitled country at times. Joke

@steveparkes1958: We have won nothing, we have one of the best squads in the world at the moment, and the football is turgid, yet you still want him in charge ? Just f**k off

@Joshtrich1: Because he’s a generic English yes man, no ambition by the country, we’ll get absolutely slapped at the World Cup, teams aren’t shit like they have been the last few years

@KarenGeddesQPM: Oh dear – this sort of message normally translates to ‘you will be gone soon’ 😢

@killerhales: In Gareth we trust

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