Win Euro 2024 and it will complete an eight-year journey for Gareth Southgate; one of largely smooth, and sometimes unexpected, progress over the first five years, but a rockier ride during the last three, when there have been questions if the manager who took England forwards has then taken them back again.
Slovakia could have been his Iceland, almost bringing England back to 2016. Southgate's reign has felt in endgame every game; because of some of the hostility from outside, because of his restlessness, because of the pressure he has put on himself. He has remained the FA's ideal manager, but with the possibility he could sack himself.
The manager who has been criticised for his apparent inability to change games when his sides lost leads in the past has instead seen them mount a series of comebacks: trailing to Slovakia, Switzerland and Netherlands, overcoming each after extra time, via penalties and with a 90th-minute winner respectively.
Southgate has triumphed with his substitutions, but also with his non-substitutions, such as keeping the eventual scorers Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham on against Slovakia. He has been ruthless at times, loyal at others. He has shifted system: mid-match at times and then with a switch to a back three from the quarter-finals.
This story is from the July 13, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the July 13, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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