He’s faced constant criticism since the moment he landed in Germany, but Gareth Southgate has earned his right to lead England to victory and will not let anyone stand in his way.
Any accusations of the Three Lions playing slow, uninspiring football – otherwise branded as ‘Southgate-ball’ – were batted away when the England manager showcased his desires to play fearlessly, showing his lion-heart in one of the nation’s most vital fixtures.
It was Southgate’s tactical prowess that helped the Three Lions secure a place in yet another Euros final – making intelligent substitutions and setting up chances from the sidelines.
The decision to swap the nation’s record goalscorer Harry Kane in the final minutes of normal time when his side were level with the Netherlands and searching for a chance to edge forward may have raised some eyebrows. But Southgate knew what he was doing all along, and on walked Ollie Watkins.
The Aston Villa man was an instant game-changer, bursting onto the field with energy and a desire to make a difference. Watkins – who was playing in the Championship for Brentford just four years ago, in non-league with Weston-super-Mare just before that – kept England’s dreams alive and etched his name into the history books, where he will sit alongside the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Michael Owen as England’s memorable goalscoring magicians.
Southgate also managed to work out what once looked impossible – unlocking the best version of Phil Foden in this England side. The Manchester City star had been berated for his performances in earlier stages of the tournament, often struggling to earn his way in the team.
But the England boss knew that Foden’s skills just had to be unlocked, and bringing Kobbie Mainoo into the midfield alongside Declan Rice earlier in the knockout rounds was just the ticket.
Mainoo, who may just become one of England’s most vital players in years to come, helped to maximise Foden’s technical ability, creating chances for the fellow Stockport native while also enabling more ball progression.
Mainoo and Foden’s combination play has been what England have needed the entire way through the tournament and against the Netherlands we finally got to see what every fan had craved.
It wasn’t just in attack where Southgate utilised his know-how either. For so long team’s have identified England’s desire to sit back and cling on. Not anymore. When Marc Guehi’s suspension forced Southgate to consider a three-man backline, no one knew just how much this would shape the future success of the team.
Suddenly, England were laced with the ability to push onwards, challenging down the wings while leaving minimal players in defence. The semi-final backline of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Guehi just clicked, and the introduction of Luke Shaw in the second half added even more balance to the team.
Shaw’s arrival shortly after the restart at half-time also marked the longest he’s played since February – hinting that a full recovery is imminent at an opportune time.
England will have a battle on their hands when they face Spain on Sunday. But with Southgate at the helm, truly anything is possible.