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England’s great tactical and cultural problems come home to roost
THE DAY AFTER
Before the game kicked off, The Fiver’s big Euro Not 2020 final question was this: how did Matteo Berrettini get from Wimbledon to Wembley so quickly? But then we noticed that diminutive Scientologist Tom Cruise was also at both of Sunday’s big finals, and for anyone who has seen footage of Cruise’s driving in the documentary film Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation all became clear. That man genuinely should not be allowed on the road. But talk of rogue nations brings us neatly round to England, for whom it was very much a case of this time more than any other time, though still without the getting it right. This was a night when England’s great tactical and cultural problems both came home to roost, namely conservatism and Conservatism.
Let’s take them one at a time, shall we? On the pitch, much like in the World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia three years ago, England went a goal up, retreated and were punished. There was a delightful irony to this being attempted against of all teams Italy, and anyone who wanted an instant primer in its potential consequences could simply have mentioned the name Ahn Jung-hwan within Italian earshot and waited for the history lesson. The facts are that after just two minutes England found themselves with the advantage they needed to win the European Championship, and with the players they needed to win the European Championship, but not, painful as it is to say it, the coach they needed.
Related: ‘Unforgivable’: Gareth Southgate on racist abuse of England players
Gareth Southgate has some special qualities. He is intelligent, humble, and has a special gift for – outside tactical briefings – saying the right things. He has created an England team that is harmonious when so many have been fractious, whose most gifted players flourish with their national team when in the past so many have floundered. But after however many years of hurt when England were finally in a position to leave behind the doubters, the doomsters and the gloomsters, they found that actually they had one in the dugout. Of course England also has another leader, an anti-Southgate, famous not for intelligence, his humility, or the ability to engender harmony, but for leading teams to unlikely victories. In many ways he’s precisely the kind of chap they needed on Sunday night, but for the history of casual racism, the toxic xenophobia, and the overwhelming commitment to doing at all times whatever the eff he wants without care for consequences.
And while the team that follows Southgate was coming to terms with defeat in the shell of Wembley Stadium, another team was setting fire, often literally, to whatever goodwill these footballers had created. It was storming Wembley, it was drowning town centres in seas of debris, filling A&E departments with the victims of senseless punch-ups, defacing murals, and then blaming it all on people who look different behind the anonymous cloak of social media abominations. Boris Johnson’s subsequent criticism of online racial abuse on Monday morning was not great leadership, it was rank hypocrisy.
For those who glimpsed in this team of diverse young men their England, people who in thought, deed, and multicultural background were precisely the kind of group the country could not just get behind but aspire to, the last 18 hours have been extremely painful. After a few weeks spent floating about in a cloud of optimism, in the space of a few hours England lost both a football match and (again) the country, robbed of fragile patriotism by people who seem to have nothing else.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We heard it day in and day out that the trophy would be coming home to London. Sorry for them, but actually the cup will be taking a nice flight to Rome” – cold from Leonardo Bonucci.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Once more unto the EN 2020 Football Daily breach, dear friends, once more.
FIVER LETTERS
“I write at the start of extra-time. The kids tucked up in bed. During the whole €$£ debate, the old men ruling football were worried that the kids aren’t getting into football. Well, they definitely won’t if the biggest games kick off after bedtime. Since when have Sunday night 8pm (or 9pm here in Germany) been a good idea?” – Paul Vickers.
“In addition to Sweet Caroline (Friday’s Fiver letters), I suspect that the English fans wedi dwyno (have stolen) Don’t Take Me Home from the Welsh too” – David Howells.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Paul Vickers.
NEWS, BITS AND BOBS
Former Leeds midfielder Mick Bates, who made almost 200 appearances during the Don Revie era, has died aged 73.
Ernie Moss, who scored a club-record 192 goals during three spells with his hometown club Chesterfield, has died aged 71.
Following the racist abuse directed at Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho after England’s shootout defeat, Gareth Southgate says it is “unforgivable” and that “the national team stands for everybody and so that togetherness has to continue”. Meanwhile, Luke Shaw has insisted “with this team there are no individuals who cost us”.
Southgate also hinted at a reluctance to extend his contract beyond the Human Rights World Cup.
Natalie Elphicke, Tory MP for Dover and Deal, has apologised for suggesting Marcus Rashford should have concentrated on football rather than “playing politics”.
Italy’s triumph has become one of the most-watched moments in British TV history, with a combined peak audience of 31m viewers across the BBC and ITV, the largest UK audience since Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.
Meanwhile, Bobby M has been crying his heart out and yet still looking absolutely boss in fine Italian linen. “It’s the fact we have been able to forge this team spirit over the last 50 days – they have really created something which can never be separated going forward,” he sobbed. “They will always be synonymous with this triumph.”
STILL WANT MORE?
England suffered a cruel blow but Gareth Southgate and his players lit up the summer, reckons Barney Ronay.
The reason England fell at the last? A lack of boldness, explains Jacob Steinberg, while Andy Hunter dishes out the player ratings.
Wipe away those hot salty tears of woe because Southgate’s brilliant lads have charmed a nation, cheers Jonathan Liew, while sipping a pint of optimism.
Beep! Beep! Beep! England reversed their way into trouble against Italy and lacked the creativity to get out of a tight spot, reckons floating football brain in a jar Jonathan Wilson.
Hey Jude, don’t be afraid, take a good team and make it better, croons Nick Ames.
Paul MacInnes spent the night channel-hopping to bring you this piece comparing the BBC and ITV’s coverage of England’s gut-wrenching defeat.
Bobby M honoured his promise to make Italy champions of Europe again, writes Nicky Bandini. And here’s a look at the Italian press reaction: “Troppo Bello!” And here’s the English media view: “It hurts …”
How did your team do at EN 2020? Let us know.
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