One of England’s last remaining World Cup winners has given his verdict over whether Gareth Southgate should stay on as England manager following England’s Euro 2024 campaign.
The Three Lions boss, 53, is due to make a decision on whether to stay in charge of the national side with his contract set to expire in December.Â
Questions have been raised over whether Southgate should stay on as England boss, having now led his side to two European Championship finals, but has not managed to secure victory.Â
Southgate had been criticised by several pundits and former players for some selection calls during Euro 2024, with the Three Lions having advanced to the final where they suffered a 2-1 defeat by Spain in Berlin.Â
The manager has indicated he would make a quick decision over whether to stay on as England boss, having also hinted that the tournament in Germany could be his last with England.Â
Gareth Southgate is set to make a decision over his future as England manager over the next few months
Southgate (centre) has now led England to two European Championship finals, and is the Three Lions’ most successful manager – despite having not won either finalÂ
And Sir Geoff Hurst has backed Gareth Southgate to continue in the England job following the team’s demoralising defeat to Spain – provided he can summon the energy after the disappointment of losing back-to-back European Championship finals.
Southgate is the most successful England men’s coach since Sir Alf Ramsey led the side to their sole major trophy in 1966, having reached two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final in his eight years in the role.
Hurst – whose hat-trick against West Germany in the Wembley final 58 years ago remains the country’s defining moment in international football – believes the team are in the best possible hands.
‘My own view is that the FA will want him to carry on,’ Hurst told the PA news agency. ‘Why not, after what he’s achieved?
‘But it’s a stressful job, being a manager. Look at Jurgen Klopp, [he] managed a fantastic Premier League side, but he looked tired after all that happens at the top level. He decided enough was enough.
‘The national team job can take an awful lot out of you as a person. I think if he [Southgate] feels up to it physically, then I would be 100 per cent backing him to carry on.
‘Why would you want to remove somebody who’s got to two finals of a [European] Championship?’
Hurst was speaking at the home of community football club Youngs FC in Wembley, established via National Lottery funding in 2016 to help nurture the grassroots game in the area.
Sir Geoff Hurst (pictured) has backed Southgate to continue in the England job following England’s run at Euro 2024
Hurst stated that he believes ‘the FA will want Southgate (right) to carry on in his current role’Â
Since 1994 the Lottery has invested over £440million into developing football at local junior level, including £47m since England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy three years ago, something Hurst believes is vital if the team’s recent progress is to be sustained.
‘It’s where it all starts,’ he said. ‘We’ve got a bunch of players here that could only be four or five years away from playing for England. Lamine Yamal (the 17-year-old Spain winger) was 12 during Covid (in 2020).
‘In terms of developing and getting that into the top end, we’re now seeing that improving. Two Euros finals and a World Cup semi-final. This is the best bunch of young players we’ve had. It’s astonishing, these young kids.
‘We’ve got youngsters now participating at the top level. It’s absolutely vital, the money that’s been invested by the National Lottery in the last few years.’
Since taking over following the dismal last-16 exit to Iceland at Euro 2016, Southgate has led England to as many tournament knock-out wins – nine – as in the team’s entire history prior, while becoming the first coach to guide the team to a final on foreign soil.
The former England star (second from right) was speaking at the home of Youngs FC and believes developing junior football schemes can help to improve the National sideÂ
He urged people to look at Southgate’s reign off the last few years and the progress he has made with the team and not just on Sunday’s defeat
He was nevertheless subject to criticism from both the media and supporters during the run to the final in Germany and has been accused of setting the team up too defensively and of struggling to match up to opposition coaches tactically.
‘It’s bitterly disappointing,’ said Hurst of the defeat in Berlin. ‘But you can’t look at it as one game of football. You have to look at the progress of our national team in the last six years, which has been far, far, far better than we’ve seen prior to that.
‘In the past there have been problems in team spirit and togetherness. We heard about players not sitting on the same table when they represent England and the north-south divide. That’s changed. Gareth Southgate has engendered a fantastic team spirit.’
:: Thanks to National Lottery players, over £440m of National Lottery funding has gone into grassroots football, giving more girls and boys the opportunities to play the game and helping community clubs across the country.