'I won't outstay my welcome' - Gareth Southgate defends England's style of football ahead of Italy Nations League tie
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ByEurosport
Updated 11/06/2022 at 08:51 GMT
Gareth Southgate signed a new England contract in November that runs until December 2024. Southgate has faced questions about his future as England boss after a loss to Hungary and a draw with Germany in the last week. He says he will not outstay his welcome and defends his team's style of football which has been perceived by some of his critics as being too conservative.
‘If it’s an embarrassment, it’s for England as a country’ - Southgate
Gareth Southgate has defended his England team's style of football but says he will not "outstay my welcome" as manager of the national team.
After England lost 1-0 to Hungary in their Nations League opener last weekend and were held to a 1-1 draw with Germany in Munich on Tuesday, Southgate has faced criticism for being too conservative with his tactics.
As the Three Lions' preparations ramp up for the Qatar World Cup with their Group B opener against Iran on November 21 on the horizon, Southgate has responded to his negative critics. He says he has to achieve a balance when he selects his teams.
"I’ve got to find a balance because I don’t want to sit and be defensive, but some people have managed teams and others haven’t," he told reporters ahead of England's behind closed doors Nations League group tie against European champions Italy at Molineux on Saturday evening.
"Until you’ve managed teams, you have a different view of the game. What’s needed to win football matches are the sorts of things [Mason] Mount did on [Joshua] Kimmich that allows other things to happen.
"For the man that comes and stands on the terrace and pays his money, I totally understand he wants to see a Grealish with a Sterling with a Saka. But you’ve got to have a balance of the team, this is top-level football.
“I’ve got to manage in the way I see fit. I won’t outstay my welcome but I think I can do a good job for the team, and I think we’ve done a good job for the team.
"I think we’ll continue to improve the team, which we have done over a consistent period of time, and we’re also developing young players that will leave England in a good place for a long period to come."
Southgate referred to England's 39 goals scored in World Cup qualifying in 2021, albeit with one of those sides in Group I being San Marino, as he responded to the idea he is too pragmatic.
"I hear about conservatism, but we were the highest scorers in Europe last year,” he said.
"I don’t quite know what more you can do. I’m not saying I don’t buy into it because I understand, in this role, everybody’s going to have a view.
“I am always going to have those situations where people disagree with the selection.
"That noise over the last two or three years does seem extremely loud and I’ve had to ride that and get on with it through the Euros and the whole of last summer.
"I can see that’s where it is again. That’s what I have got to deal with.”
England are currently bottom of Group A3 in the Nations League on one point; three points behind group leaders Italy after two games played.
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