Southgate sack looms as Spain and ineffective Kane prevent ‘joke’ England Euro 2024 win

The post-European Championship final Mailbox has plenty of anti-Harry Kane content with England fans desperate to move on from Gareth Southgate.

Send your thoughts on Euro 2024 to theeditor@football365.com…

 

England did not deserve to win
Disappointing? Yes. Deserved? No.

Of course I wanted England to win, but I do believe in fairness (many people won’t agree and that’s fine). For England to have shambled their way to a Euro trophy would have been a joke. One decent half of football in an entire tournament is also a joke. I don’t care if I’m accused of not being a true fan, we shouldn’t be satisfied with so many inept performances. Tonight wasn’t that bad I suppose, but did they look like a team who were in one of the biggest nights of their lives? Not to me.

The persistence with Kane was also laughable. Both tonight and the tournament in general. I don’t want to hear about how he’s joint top golden boot or whatever boll*cks. Two tap ins that my grandma could score and a penalty is not good enough. Watching him amble around the Spanish defence not even trying to press was painful. If he wasn’t fit then fair enough, but don’t bloody play him!!

F365 in particular have repeatedly been rather sarcastic and condescending when readers have questioned Kane’s place in the team, but as I said in a previously published mail, every time Kane has been taken off in this tournament, England improve. Go figure.

When are England’s managers and top brass going to start prioritising form players over the established starters? It bites us in the arse constantly but the penny never seems to drop.

As for Southgate, I’ve given him as much stick as anyone else but look, he has done well. The stats don’t lie. But ultimately, this team has SO much potential, attacking potential and we now need a manager that can get it out of them. This crop of England players have the ability to be a devastating attacking force, Southgate must now step aside and the FA have to appoint an adventurous, forward minded coach who will utilise the old adage of ‘attack being the best form of defence.’

The next couple of months is vital, because a trophy IS on the horizon. But only if the FA don’t f*ck it up by handing Southgate an extension or appointing another conservative coach.
Marc (MCFC), Bolton.

 

Kane handicapping England
Can’t help but wonder how our tournament would have gone without Kane up top. He had no pace, didn’t hold up the ball, barely passed well, couldn’t press effectively.

As soon as Watkins came on space opened up for our amazing young attacking midfielders. Yet again an unfit Kane ruins important games for a team. We will be much better next tournament once he’s gone.
Rob A (Spain did deserve to win though..) AFC

 

Disappointed but not surprised
Disappointing, but not unexpected, or undeserved result.

They did well getting to the final, but no other team in the tournament were beating that Spain.

And for once, no controversy, no cheating, no scape goats, no vilification of players, which is progress, I suppose.
Steve

 

Southfake
Well thank God that’s over. It’s stressful enough being a fan during a tournament but for the last month the great English public has been double-hatting as national team manager. We’ve basically been doing Southgate‘s job for him.

We said Trent’s not a midfielder. Correct. We said Mainoo should start instead of Gallagher. Correct. We said we need to be pressing more. Correct. We said play Palmer. Correct. Everything Gareth did seemed to be a delayed reaction to fans & pundits pointing out the obvious.

The man is a total fraud. If he sticks around for the World Cup, I won’t be watching.
Matt Pitt

 

…If you’d have said before the start of the tournament that we would get to the final, I’d have taken it. If you’d have said during the Slovenia game that we we would get to the final, I’d have thought it a bit of a long shot.

If you’d have said in the 99th minute of the Slovakia game that we would get to the final, I’d have asked for you to be tested as you’d clearly bumped your head. It never really looked like happening, Spain were just too good for us but two euro finals in a row is a decent effort.

Whatever happens next, cheers Gareth.
Ian – When does proper football.come back?

 

Close but no cigar
England lost tonight, narrowly.

In a major championship final.

The 2nd in 3 years.

Been a while before that since the last one.

For all of the haters out there, cry more.

Southgate’s tournament record is amazing.
Brian (England)

 

Poor Harry
Is Alvaro Morata the inverse of Harry Kane?

Half the player with 20-something more trophies.
Anon

MORE ENGLAND REACTION ON F365
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England v Spain commentary
Pre-match: well, here we go! Shaw in, excellent. Absence of Pedri is a big boost. Feel we need to capitalise in the first half before the inevitable post-half lull.

Hopefully Kane has been saving his energy for the big one. If he plays like he can, we can actually do this.

Just please don’t score too early and retreat.

First half:
No more jokes, this is it. Come on lads!

Marking our men well, disciplined, reminds me of United in the FA Cup final; that’s a positive. Some lovely bits from Foden, Mainoo, Bellingham and Saka. Some nice blocks from Guehi, Stones and Shaw. Good interceptions from Rice.

Kane gets a yellow after a bad touch, which tbh could easily have been a red considering it was studs up and against someone’s ankle. “You’ve seen them given.”

Williams had a couple of moments of threat but not too much. Foden loose pass almost leads to something but it’s stamped out by our majestic defence.

Stones makes a lovely lung busting run to the edge of the area, but can’t find anyone to release to.

Some more nice play that gets us to around their area but doesn’t quite land. Rodri stretching block on Kane shot.

Shaw keeping the young Spanish wingers honest so far. Mainoo throwing his body around, putting off Olmo a couple of times. It’s a shame he’s so deep though.

Cucurella could well get sent off this game, he’s spoiling with Saka all 45 minutes. Lucky not to be on a yellow yet.

Foden gets a lovely effort away on the stretch but comfortably saved.

Tight but good first half overall. Pretty good control, some moments at both ends. Just needs that one spark.

Second half:
Rodri off! That block must have done him. That’s a solid boost for England.

F*ck. Ball came across far far too easily. Guehi doesn’t pick up Yamal as he found space behind Shaw, and he slots it across for a Williams goal. But that’s ok, we’re at our best chasing a game. Just keep it to one.

Another Spanish chance, poor shot on weak foot, thankfully. Sharpen up lads.

Good bit of England possession ends in a terrible cross by Walker. If only there was an answer on the bench. Or two.

We are really still far too slow moving up with the ball. We need someone on who can put the defence on their toes.

Good block by Guehi after Rice gives the ball away. Williams another shot that goes wide. We’re looking messy and flustered.

Kane comes off on 60m for Watkins. Hallelujah! Just so far off the pace, and finally now we have some.

Lovely touch, turn and shot from Bellingham! Unlucky.

Long ball towards Watkins, almost in behind but not quite. But that made them nervous.

Yamal forces a good save from Shouty.

Oyazabal is on. (Hopefully he’s not put a devil aside for England.)

70m Mainoo off for Palmer. He’s done good defensive work, hopefully that doesn’t leave us exposed now.

(So, wait, we have Foden, Bellingham, Saka AND Palmer on with Watkins? Has Gareth had a stroke?)

Oyazabal gets another shot away, they’re looking dangerous.

YESSSSSS! Ball out to Saka, in to Bellingham who touches it back to Palmer with perfection and what a beauty finish!

We’re looking bright, but so are they, this is going to be end to end now.

We seem to have dropped intensity in defence. Standing off Williams, lovely interplay and thankfully Pickford is equal to the shot. Christ this is tense. We’re a bit under the cosh. Some nice juggling from Pickford.

Shiiiiit. Ball passed around Rice and the snide Cucurella slides in Oyazabal. BOLLOCKS!

Lovely pass from Bellingham to Watkins but he can’t quite bring it under his control.

Toney on for Foden. That’s a hail Mary sub for sure.

Corner, save from Rice and follow up by Guehi headed off the Spanish line. By such margins…

Fuuuuuck, that’s the game.

Summary:
Goddamn it. Good effort from the whole team (well, nearly), but not quite there. Small margins, so much better a performance though. Again, bar one.

Spain did deserve it but it really could have gone either way at times. Bellingham and Guehi so close to a second. We pretty much matched them all over, played some good football at times but sat too deep too often. In the end they just shaded it.

The change to open the game got us a goal but cost us one too. Was mental to see pretty much everyone on at once. But overall the team played well and – if it matters to anyone else like it does to me – we didn’t lose because of a big mistake. I can take that.

They all deserve credit for their performances, even Walker (except that miserable cross). Maybe not Kane, though what a waste of 60 minutes. Not necessarily all his fault though, we absolutely did not play to his strengths all tournament.

Hey ho, on to the next one. Please god may he do the decent thing.
Badwolf

What happened to the stoppage stoppage…?
Dearest Mailbox,

I looked on in genuine, total disbelief when the referee blew the final whistle bang on 90+4 minutes. An extra two minutes most likely wouldn’t have changed the result, but after Cucurella rolled around for a full minute either being injured or pretending to be injured, and another Spanish player had done the same earlier in stoppage time, that’s what the rules of the game state must be added on. Otherwise, what’s the stop a player in the team winning at 90 minutes lying on the floor for the duration of stoppage time, to see the game out?

Spain were the better team so no complaints there, but the one thing that really left a sour taste was that inexplicable dereliction of duty by a presumably top-level referee. Regardless of whether or not Cucurella brazenly cheated by pretending to have been fouled by Saka, and regardless of whether the referee was at fault for falling for such an artless con – either way there has to be additional time added on.

Absolutely bizarre.
Dan, Worthing

…We all knew it was coming. Another final defeat. Southgate has taken England as far as he can. He should step down now.
Dan, London 

 

…The best team won.

It will hurt for a long time. But the best team on the night and through the tournament won.

Leave the blame at the door media – it’s not needed.
Paul

 

Southgate does it again
So was that the most Gareth Southgate tournament ever? Get  a favorable draw, advance to the Final without once looking particularly good, get in a position to take command of the game, but sit back and allow the losing goal.

The reason Southgate’s reign will never be viewed as a great success is simple: the things he’s good at (man-management, a harmonious atmosphere, etc.) are invisible, while the thing he’s not so good at (tactics) is painfully visible.

What’s more, only experienced coaches can opine on man-management and the like, but everyone has an opinion on tactics. So he gets skewered right and left, often fairly.

After the quarterfinal the Mailbox graciously included my letter, which stated “Southgate has been a useful manager who has shown that with good fortune in the draw he can take a team deep in a tournament, but not win it.”

In a word, yeah.
Peter G, Pennsylvania, USA

 

Spain, thank you from England’s neighbours
All day all I’ve heard is hype

Hype over mainoo. ( really ?)

Hype over foden ( not so good without kdb are you lad ?)

Hype over Southgate ( two games ago he was awful but tonight was a genius for *subbing a clearly unfit Kane)

England have a world class team, they have a championship manager. Time and time again luck has got them this far. But big team come out and boom. Southgate found out

Poor old arrogant English media. Shearer couldn’t lap it up quick enough tonight despite publicly saying they were sh*t

Thanks Spain. It’s not coming home. Sign the new deal Gareth please !
Ade

 

Brilliant tournament
Imagine what could’ve been if we had started each game with our best players.
Anon

 

Spain without Rodri
Funny how everyone was like look Rodri’s off at half time this will help and then about 4 seconds into the second half it was clear this Zubamendi lad is the business – the change actually helped Spain so much – he’s class.

Olmo is pure quality too (he’s going City isn’t he). Also, is it genius that Southgate put yet another sub on who scored or should he just have started those players!
Duck

 

England and not pushing up
Sitting back too deep has been England’s problem the whole tournament and we ultimately paid the price in the final

Simple as that…
Rob, Bristol Gooner (gutted..)

 

Declan Rice back to Ireland?
I assume England will give us back Declan Rice now that he looks like a league 1 player.
Mel – Dublin, Berlin, Athlone Town

 

Half-time thoughts on Kane
6 touches, given away the ball twice, booked once. Offered absolutely nothing either as a hold up man, target man or threat to burst through defense on the break. A black hole in the team.

We actually have a bloody chance here! Lean on our strengths! Pace, skill, desire, dynamism, youth! Imagine Palmer and Watkins on the bench. FFS Gareth, grow some balls for once. Get. Kane. Off.
Mike “pleeeaase Engrrland”

 

First-half thoughts on Kane
Kane has to come off at the start of the second half, right? He is playing at least two steps slower than everyone else.

Great first half other than that though.
Greg, Tampa

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