Sir Gareth Southgate was knighted for his services to football Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate says he does not miss managing the Three Lions and carrying the "weight" of the job. The 54-year-old stepped down as England manager last summer after his side werebeaten in the Euro 2024 final by Spain. Southgate guided England to two European Championship finals during his seven-and-a-half years in charge, finishing runner-up on both occasions. The fourth-placed finish England achieved at the 2018 World Cup was the side's best performance at a major tournament since 1990. But the former Middlesbrough manager, who was knighted on Wednesday for his services to English football, says he does not miss being in charge of the team. "It is a little bit strange [watching the team] but also I'm not missing it," Southgate told BBC Sport. "I think it's important that I am on that sofa and out of their way, you know, it's theirs to take on now and I think it's important that I give the team as much space as possible." Southgate became the fourth England manager in history to be knighted, after Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson. Asked if he missed parts of the job, Southgate said it was a relief to no longer carry the expectations of a nation. "I think it's hard to describe because until that weight's gone you don't necessarily realise just on a day-to-day basis, you know, every hour of my day was thinking about how do I make England better, what's happening with the players, how do we do things differently," he added. "So I think any leader of big organisations, you're constantly thinking about how to do your job as well as you can." Thomas Tuchel replaced Southgate as manager following Lee Carsley's interim spell in charge. The German has won all three of his World Cup qualifiers at the helm, but England were beaten booed off afterlosing a friendly against Senegalat the City Ground earlier this month. After taking charge of the side, Tuchel said Southgate's England did not have a clear identity and "were more afraid to drop out" of Euro 2024 "than having the excitement and hunger to win it". "I don't think it's important how I took it [Tuchel's criticism] or what I think," Southgate said. "I think what's really important is for me to give the team, the manager, the space to operate. I think that's the right thing to do. "I've had an amazing experience leading my country, but it's time for them to take it forward now and I'll be a fan at home supporting it."
I don't miss managing England - Southgate
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Gareth Southgate Reflects on England Tenure, Emphasizes Support for New Management"
Bbc News
8.6
TruthLens AI Summary
Sir Gareth Southgate, the former England football manager, has publicly stated that he does not miss the responsibilities that came with managing the national team. After stepping down last summer following England's defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, Southgate reflected on his tenure, which lasted over seven years. During his time, he led England to two European Championship finals, both of which ended in runner-up finishes, and achieved a fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup, marking the team's best performance in a major tournament since 1990. Despite these accomplishments, Southgate expressed a sense of relief at no longer shouldering the weight of national expectations, emphasizing the mental burden that came with the role. He stated, 'I think it's hard to describe because until that weight's gone you don't necessarily realise just on a day-to-day basis' the constant pressure to improve the team and manage player dynamics.
Southgate, who was recently knighted for his contributions to English football, acknowledged that while it feels strange to watch the team from a distance, he believes it is crucial for him to allow the new management, led by Thomas Tuchel, the space to develop their own identity. Tuchel has begun his tenure with a strong record in World Cup qualifiers but faced criticism after a disappointing friendly loss to Senegal. Southgate responded to Tuchel's observation that the previous England team lacked a clear identity, stating that it is important for him to remain supportive as a fan rather than intervening in the current team's dynamics. He concluded that his time leading the national team was an incredible experience, but it is now time for the new leadership to move forward, and he intends to cheer for the team from home rather than being involved in its day-to-day operations.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.