Quote Originally Posted by pass_and_move View Post
I've criticised Southgate in the past but feel the job that he's done overall has been very, very good. We're knocking on the door in terms of winning tournaments. His tactics are sometimes questionable but twas ever thus. Name me an England manager who doesn't get berated or heavily questioned when things don't go our way. He done what he thought best at that moment. What some people overlook is that you can't play well in every game, you can't legislate for certain things and of course yo win a tournament you need some luck.

Southgate has given me more pleasure than any of his predecessors right down to Venables and Hoddle in the late 90s.

He's got the most out of a bang average squad in 2018 by reaching the semi final. The penalty shootout win vs Columbia was a great moment and relief.

Euro 2020 we improved as a squad and deservedly reached the final. Beating Germany along the way was another hoodoo lifted and another great moment.

Qatar 2022 was our strongest squad yet under Southgate and we played well winning games with ease. We dropped on a French team that perhaps had the rub of the green against us. That's tournament football as I said, you need the breaks.

2024 brings an even stronger squad than the previous World Cup squad and we are favourites. Southgate has built a young and very capable team. The defence is not as good as what it could be but lets face it, they're not exactly garbage are they? They're experienced in the cases of Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kyle Walker and the goalkeeper.

Let's see what happens
I'd go along with much of that Pass regarding our chances in this tournament and Gareth Southgate .

The real sting in the tail was the last Euro Final and how he managed the game after taking such an early lead with the Italians all over the shop , disappointing to say the least .

Hopefully this is the tournament when it all comes together and we get a bit of lady luck that every team needs to win a major tournament .