Gareth Southgate's heartbreaking confession days before quitting as England manager
Gareth Southgate, who has resigned as England's manager just days after the nation's tragic defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, made his feelings clear about the weight of responsibility on his shoulders
Gareth Southgate candidly opened up about the responsibility he felt as England manager just days before announcing his resignation.
The 53-year-old today announced he has stepped down as leader of the Three Lions, saying it is time for a 'new chapter' for the national team. Following England's defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday night, Gareth said: "As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England."
"It has meant everything to me and I have given it my all," he said in a statement. "But it's time for change and for a new chapter. Sunday's final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager." Just days earlier after the team's victory against Netherlands, which propelled them into the tournament's final, Gareth expressed his true feelings about how disheartening it was to see the criticism against himself and his team.
At the same time, he revealed his excitement to see them in yet another Euro final under his reign, describing it as a 'special time'. Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, he began with the poignant statement: "We all want to be loved, right?"
He continued: "When you're doing something for your country and you're a proud Englishman and when you don't feel that back, and all you read is criticism, it's hard. So to be able to celebrate a second final is very very special and especially with fans who have travelled, the amount of support is amazing.
"The amount of money they spend to travel, the commitment to do that to be able to give them nights like this and I think we have given them a few over the last six years from Russia onwards, it means a lot. If I hadn't been on the grass I'd have been watching celebrating like they were. We're kindred spirits in many ways but of course I'm the one that has to pick a team and to be able to give them a night like tonight is very special."
Following their second European Championship final defeat, the ex-manager then admitted that he had to make the difficult decision on whether or not it was right for him to continue as England manager. Penalties proved England's undoing in the Euro 2020 showpiece against Italy, and this time Spain sealed a deserved 2-1 win as substitute Mikel Oyarzabal struck four minutes from time.
It was another case of so close yet so far under Southgate's regime. Considering the steps he needed to take, he told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I understand the question, of course, but I think I need to speak to the right people, and we'll go from there.
"It's been an amazing experience to lead the team to another final, but obviously at the moment to come short as we have is very painful." Asked if not outstaying his welcome is part of that thought process, the former England boss said: "Umm, there's a lot of things that are part of it.
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"There's what's right for the team, there's what's right for me. Yeah, lots of things to consider." It had been an emotional rollercoaster for the frequently ridiculed England boss, who enjoyed some memorable knockout highs before the hugely disappointing end against Spain.
"You can imagine the scene – nothing being said, really," he said of the dressing room after missing out on the Euro win. "I've said to the players how proud I am of what they've done across the tournament. We fell a little bit short tonight.
"In the end, we didn't keep the ball well enough. We actually minimised, I thought, their attacking threat, particularly in the first half, but we weren’t able to play through their counter press. In the end, that starts to tell because you keep giving the ball away, it's coming back at you and late in the game you can have those moments like we did, where, in the end, I think you get punished for not having enough possession of the ball, really."
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