GIVE GARETH SOME CREDIT

ROBERT J WILSON LOOKS BACK ON THE REIGN OF THE DEPARTED ENGLAND MANAGER FOLLOWING HIS DECISION TO STAND DOWN AFTER THE EUROS...

- ROBERT J WILSON

MINUTES after Mikel Oyarzabal's decisive goal for Spain at Euro 2024, the criticism inevitably followed.

England had lost their second successive final and manager Gareth Southgate quickly became target number one. There were some just waiting for the Three Lions to fail, to say 'I told you so'.

The achievement of guiding the national team to their first major final on foreign soil didn't seem to count for much, as everyone with an X account or podcast rounded on the England boss and his tactics.

Southgate was heavily criticised at this, his fourth major tournament in charge, and it was evident early on that he didn't understand where the flak was coming from.

The noise around England and Southgate in this particular tournament was simply incredible with social media and the fight for clicks resulting in everything being scrutinized and debated, truthful or not.

The team lines-up were constantly leaked, which hardly helped when Southgate decided to switch to a wingback system and then back to a four again for the final. Talk about giving the opposition a pre-match advantage!

There were rumours of unrest in the camp. That Jude Bellingham had got too big for his boots because he shouted 'who else?' after scoring 'that' overhead kick or because he participated in a pre-tournament advert.

There were murmurs that players were not happy with their minutes or lack of inclusion. It was even mooted that England were actually progressing in spite of Southgate's decision-making.

The attention on every little detail, from body language to who sat next to who on the team coach, became a tad ridiculous.

Everyone seemed to have an opinion and the 'impossible job', for the first time under Southgate, became impossible again.

He was a victim of his own success, having already led the nation to a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final, as well as losing the 2021 European Championship final to Italy on penalties.