England legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has pointed out in his personal column that although the result is disappointing, this does not mean that Gareth Southgate’s tenure has been a failure. The contract of the England manager expires in December, and many speculate that the European Championship will be his last major tournament in charge.
“I don’t know Gareth very well, but he’s been in charge for four tournaments now, and this is the first time I’ve been disappointed with him. He has faced criticism for being too cautious or defensive, but in previous competitions, we played well and scored goals. We have some of Europe’s best attacking players, and only Saka really showed up in the competition. Bellingham had two good moments but was far from his best. Neither he nor Kane were at their best, nor was Foden. When your best players are not at their best, it’s quite an achievement to reach the final at all.”
“During the group stage, the team selection was also an issue. If it were me, I would have made changes after two games. When you reach the final, this cannot be considered a failure. But Southgate has created a club-like spirit, which wasn’t there when I played. This is why England reached the final; they stuck together and were willing to pull together to cross the finish line.”
“It’s not traditional for England to reach the final while playing poorly, and this is actually a testament to the environment he has created.”