Gareth Southgate has said it is emotionally impossible for him to make a “logical decision at the moment” on whether to stay on as England manager – even if he wins the European Championship.
In an interview with Sky News ahead of Sunday’s final with Spain in Berlin, Southgate insisted he had “improved the credibility” of English football – having felt hurt by criticism earlier in the tournament due to the team’s sluggish progress.
However, the Three Lions have still made their first-ever overseas final and the second final of his eight-year reign after being denied the Euros trophy by Italy three years ago.
Southgate indicated before the tournament he could leave the job if he does not lead the team to Euros glory.
Asked how difficult it would be to walk away if he does land their first trophy since 1966, Southgate told Sky News: “Nothing’s that difficult, but emotionally it would be impossible for me to make a logical decision at the moment on any of that because my sole focus for two years has been winning this tournament.
“The last five, six weeks have been an absolute rollercoaster, so I don’t actually know where I am with anything other than, very focused on preparing the team for this game, and determined to keep leading them in the way we have over the last month.”
Southgate has reached levels of consistency no predecessor has achieved aside from Sir Alf Ramsey who won his only final – and England’s only title – at the 1966 World Cup.
And it is all the years of hurt for England since that makes the potential of winning on Sunday such a potentially defining moment for the nation.
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“I definitely took the job to try to help English football improve,” Southgate said. “I know what it [winning] would mean not only to the general public in England, but particularly to people involved in English football – from those that develop young players to those that run clubs to every level of the game.
“Really, I think we’ve improved the credibility of English football in how it’s perceived around the world.
“But ultimately, until you win that trophy, then there will always be those questions, both abroad and at home, about what we’ve done.”
Sunday’s final will be Southgate’s 102nd game in charge of England and he wants to ensure “detachment from the enormity of the occasion”.
Asked how proud his family are, the 53-year-old father-of-two said: “That doesn’t depend on me winning a football match or not.
“So I’m lucky in that regard.”
But a focus is on his legacy and his future, especially while leaving open for now the question of staying on until the 2026 World Cup.
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Earlier in these Euros, the booing and abuse indicated a fracturing of the relationship with the fans.
Had they gone out to much lower-ranked nations Slovakia or Switzerland it would have been hard to envisage Southgate staying.
But the FA privately now seems determined to persuade Southgate to extend his contract that expires at the end of this year.
After the lows of a group-stage winless exit at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016 embarrassment against Iceland, Southgate has taken England from rock bottom to three semi-finals in his four tournaments.
Separately, at the team’s Blackenhain base today, Southgate spoke about the growth of the men’s team under his watch when it had not reached a final since 1966 until the Euros final in 2021 and the penalties’ pain.
“There’s a different feel – to have reached the first final in 50-plus years was enormous,” Southgate said. “We’re now in a different moment as a team at tournaments.
“So, a lot more big match experience. So I guess there was less of a celebration, perhaps less satisfaction reaching a final.
“I don’t say it becomes run of the mill, but it’s a little bit more normal for us. And, that statement in itself is probably a bit ridiculous, given our history.”
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Southgate described it as a “complicated tournament” – reflecting the group stage featuring just one win and two draws and late comebacks or winners in the three knockout stage games so far.
“We’ve held our nerve, held belief, and during which we’ve improved and learned as a team,” he said. “We’re in a final, and we want to go that step further than we went three years ago.”
Half of this squad was not with Southgate at the last World Cup when he followed up a semi-final appearance at Russia 2018 with a quarter-final defeat to France at Qatar 2022.
Ollie Watkins, England’s match-winner in the semi-final against the Netherlands, is among the players making their tournament debuts.
Captain Harry Kane has only been relied on for two goals.
“This squad, half of them had never been to a tournament before so they’ll be viewing it in a different way to the guys that have been with this now for four tournaments and who’ve been knocking on the door of winning a trophy,” Southgate said.
“But that’s brought a nice dynamic because you’ve got players who know what’s been needed to get to this point, and they’ve learned how to win.
“And you’ve got guys that just think that’s what we do anyway, and they’ve got no inhibitions.
“So, what’s impressed me is how well they’ve come together as a new group in such a short period of time, and the strength and resilience they’ve found to score their late goals to get through the penalty shootout [against Switzerland].”
So how can England overcome Spain, who have won all six games in Germany and are the tournament’s leading scorers with 13 goals?
After back-to-back European titles in 2008 and 2012, this is a new generation of Spaniards.
Lamine Yamal, who scored a goal in their 2-1 semifinal win over France, only turns 17 on the eve of the final.
“We’ve got to make sure that tactically we’re close to perfect,” Southgate said.
“They’ve been excellent with the ball, but they’ve been excellent without the ball as well.
“They’re a team, they work for each other. The pressing is very well coordinated. But every team has strengths and every team has some weaknesses. And, our job is to be prepared for their strengths and to go and exploit their weaknesses.”