And we're done
Southgate signs off with some warm good wishes for Sky’s Nick Collins, and with that he and his two employer reps shuffle off.
Understandably, more serious matters consumed a sizeable proportion of that conference, but Southgate set out his stall as much as he felt he could, stressing that Wayne Rooney was still his captain – even if he couldn’t always be guaranteed a starting place – but that successor planning was needed, with the team needing to develop more leaders on the pitch. He has no break clause in his contract, a reflection of the FA’s confidence in what they see in a ‘long-term’ project. His commitment to a possession-based pressing game was stressed, and he tried not to dwell too much on the issue of players’ boozy high-jinks, unlike some of his questioners.
And that’s about that. Thanks for following, and stay on the site for more reports and reaction. Bye.
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Back on the abuse scandal, Martin Glenn is reminded that there have been calls about present-day experiences too. “This is a really serious issue for football and society, and with the FA taking the lead, opening ourselves up, laying bare the decisions we made, and ask for the same from clubs … that’s all that we can do but it’s a big thing we can do and the right thing we can do.” We must all take it seriously, he adds.
Southgate says he wants his teams to have a lot of possession of the ball, but that can’t be without a goal threat. I believe we have players who can play a high pressing game, which is the ‘sort of mentality’ we want to see in England.
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Asked by the BBC if “pride in the England team is at rock bottom?” Southgate doesn’t, really, citing previous failures to even qualify for tournaments, but admits “there is a challenge for us as a team”. He’s confident in the players’ desire, and with so many of the current squad playing Champions League football, it can help. Though he has concerns about players from the next age groups down getting relevant experience.
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Back to football, Southgate talks of his wider role. I know the things I do and the comments I make will be reported more widely, he says. “In this role there’s a need to be a good coach and good teacher, a need to drive and analyse performance, but also to provide leadership.” On the U21s, he says there’s a group of players who can build on their success in Toulon, he says Marcus Rashford would benefit from tournament football ‘but I’m also conscious of his age and physical workload.’
Southgate is asked if he heard of abuse stories when he was playing back in the 90s, as the FA seek to move questions on “due to ongoing police enquiries”. “I played with one of the players who’s recently come forward aand tyhe reality is they haven’t been able to speak about that until this moment. And with the benefit of hindsight, you ask what you could have seen. The world has changed from 20 years ago, and what we have now in terms of child protection is completely different, but we mustn’t be complacent.”
Glenn insists the FA is being proactive, not reactive. “We have the power that once we hear of wrongdoing we will deal with it. As and when, and in combination with the police, we will get it done. We are being proactive and taking it seriously.”
Glenn adds that if there are restrictive contracts at clubs that prevent people talking about actual crimes, then these will be dealt with. The FA chief executive adds that the bravery of those who’ve come forward should be acknowledged but “can’t say” whether there had been a cover-up in the game in the past. “I think within society there is a wider acceptance that it’s unacceptable now than it was 20 years ago.”
Martin Glenn says he will look into the claims that clubs have paid what some call “hush money” to keep cases out of the public eye. “If there’s been evidence of a breach of [rules]. subject to due process, we will apply the rules, from top to bottom, regardless of size of club. Football’s in a different place today than 20 years ago, and applies child protection much more than it used to.” He pledges the FA’s ‘total commitment’ to getting to the bottom of things. If the FA has made errors, we will put our hands up, he says.
A question about the abuse scandal now. “The first thing to say is the bravery of the players that have come forward is exceptional.” The stories are “heartbreaking”. The FA is now taking it extremely seriously, and Southgate is impressed with that. “It would be wrong to say nothing’s been done over the years, we know what’s happened in the past, and the important thing over the next few weeks is we still investigate what’s happened, and as a parent I’m more confident in what we have now [in terms of child protection procedures] than a few years ago.”
We want to create a culture like the U21s where players are eager to play, he says, and we saw some of that against Scotland and Spain, he adds.
Another question about ‘socialising’. Did he feel betrayed? Southgate doesn’t want to talk about it directly. “The important thing for me is now there’s an opportunity to talk about environment and culture around the team … I’m not disappointed, young people make decisions, I made plenty of poor decisions as a young player, but it’s about how you react to that.”
On the contract, Glenn insists he is happy with it (though Southgate “is a tough negotiator, as it happens”), because “in the hypothetical event” that England flopped in Russia, he’s part of a longer term project. Dan Ashworth is asked about the U21 situation, and says the FA ‘will go through a process’ but have only just confirmed the vacancy.
Martin Glenn’s up now, saying he’s been seriously impressed with Southgate’s approach. He’s a thinker, he’s a doer, but the way he’s developed and nurtured the U21 squad has been impressive. “One of the things that doesn’t come across is that Gareth has been a captain at every club he’s played at so as well as the powers of analysis and thinking he has, he’s a proven leader.”
We mustn’t take qualification for granted, insists the new boss. “I’ve got experience as a player and coach of tournament football … we need to perform in those pressure moments, and against the very best.” Which is why the friendlies against top teams are important.
On his contract, Southgate says there’s no break clause dependent on qualifying or not. “There is big potential in the squad but a lot of hard work ahead. We have a group of players who over the next three or four years are going to develop a lot.” Southgate says his vision is “in the most simple terms, I’d like an England team that excites the public … and that we’re proud of.”
Southgate says being an England player comes with additional responsibility to playing club football but I don’t think laying down the law is necessary for this group of players. There has to be trust and clear guidelines, he says.
Asked on Rooney’s “socialising”, he simply talks of the huge competition for places, and on the back of the four matches he’s had he has an opportunity to review how things have gone. “Every aspect of our training has got to work towards having a world-class team”
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On Rooney: “Wayne Rooney is the England captain,” he says firmly. “It’s important we develop more leaders. When I played in 1996 there were captains throughout the team – developing leadership, developing resilience is one of the key areas over the next few years.”
On backroom staff, no announcements yet, but he hopes to name people “soon”. Steve Holland’s importance is alluded to though. On the subject of a role for Steven Gerrard, he merely says “the door to St George’s Park is open”. Former players always have a part to play, he says.
We start with a Q & A. Nick Collins from Sky asks what excites him most about the job. “It’s a great honour, there’s huge potential amongst the players, and great expectations come with it. To get the job is an honour and a great moment, but the hard work starts now.” Are you ready for everything? “I’ve had a great insight in the last few weeks on what the job entails, I don’t think any job is impossible … it comes with great responsibility but I’m ready to embrace that.”
Here he comes, three and a half minutes late. Tsk.
Here we go then
The water glasses are full, the energy drinks are placed on the table, the mics are on, the media people are assembled, we’re ready to ramble …
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While we’re waiting for the big unveil, some reading for you: “If Southgate looks the safe choice, this is perhaps because he’s also the right choice,” reckons Barney Ronay.
Read all here:
Preamble
Morning everyone. So here we go again then. Another unveiling. Hopes readjusted, targets recalibrated. What can Gareth Southgate tell us about his aims and dreams over the next four (apparently) years? He takes over with expectations lowered, chests decidedly unpuffed out, and a certain sense of public weariness with even getting enraged about the national team’s historic failings. Southgate is a measured and likeable chap, mind, and cannot be as easily categorised/ridiculed as his immediate predecessors, and it is from this blank canvass that we can at least identify some positive things from England’s performances under his interim stewardship – as well as the wholly predictable defensive lapses and surrendering of leads.
“Getting the job is one thing,” he said yesterday. “Now I want to do the job successfully. For me, the hard work starts now.” Beginning with today’s unveiling ritual.
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Updates will begin shortly.
