Gareth Southgate delivers defiant response to England legacy despite missing ‘final piece’

Gareth Southgate says he has ‘no regrets’ over his eight years as England manager despite not managing to lead the national team to a first international trophy since 1966.

Southgate’s tenure saw the men’s senior side reach the finals of Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 but England were defeated in both by Italy and Spain respectively, meaning the wait to win more silverware goes on.

Speaking in an interview with Sky News, the former England boss was asked for his reflections on his time as head of the national team and how he felt about resigning.

He said: “I had an incredible eight year journey with the team. It was an absolutely privilege and I worked with brilliant players, fantastic staff.

“We wanted to do that final piece, we achieved so much, to have finished by winning the final would have been perfection, but it wasn’t to be. I’m sure the team can go on and be successful over the next few years.

“I don’t think you can have regrets. We made decisons with information we had at the time to try and produce a winning team. We went to a first final in 60 years, another final, the first away from England, so we made huge progress.

“Of course, as a professional you want to win and ultimately some people will judge you purely on that, but we also had some incredible nights. The team were competitive in every tournament and I’m hugely proud of that progress. As a leader, you have to look at where you picked it up and where you leave it.”

Following England’s defeat in the Euro 2024 final this summer, Southgate decided to hand in his resignation and he feels that was, and still is, the right decision for him and the team.

He added: “It was probably the right time for change. What you see now is that bit of hope that change can bring. I’m completely content with that, eight years is a long time in the role. I’m looking forward to different challenges, and I have to say I’m enjoying the rest.”

During this summer’s tournament, England, and Southgate in particular, came under criticism for the style of football being played with former pundits demanding a more attacking methodology.

Since Southgate’s exit, Lee Carsley has taken over as interim manager and over two games in charge he has attempted to implement a new positive brand of football with an emphasis on the forward line.

Gary Lineker, one of the pundits critical of Southgate’s tactics during the Euros, took aim at the former boss following England’s 2-0 victory over Republic of Ireland on Saturday. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast he addressed the some of the criticism such as playing Anthony Gordon on the left and starting Trent Alexander-Arnold saying Carsley did these things against Ireland and it worked.

“In the first game Carsley has come up with all these things and a lot of us are going ‘you see? We told you’.” said Lineker.

Southgate was asked whether such criticism from Lineker still has an affect on him now that he has left the role but he refused to be drawn into a negative response.

He replied: “I think as you get experienced and you’re in that positon for the length of time I was, you’re able to filter out what’s important, what helps you in the job. You have to take decisions that at times will be unpopular but you’re doing those decisions with all of the information.

“I’ve really shut myself off from everything since I left. There’s no point in me talking about the team now, it’s for me to let other people take over, to give them the space to go and take the next challenges. There’s no point in me getting involved in anything like that. I’ve left on good terms with everybody, I’ve loved the experience, but also it’s time to go and do other things now.”