Gareth Southgate is a humble, self-effacing soul. Which is why I like him. He is not the sort of manager who paces the sidelines. You wouldn’t catch him gesticulating wildly or shouting out instructions to English players. If it was not for his signature navy waistcoat, light-blue shirt and striped tie, it’s difficult to pick him out.
I didn’t fancy England’s chances when the tournament started. Nor did others. The English press too was surprisingly downbeat about England’s prospects. In his quiet way, Southgate guided England into the semifinals, their best World Cup result in 28 years. It is their best shot at the Cup since 1966. He knows it, but the English manager refuses to get carried away.
“Is it coming home?” a television interviewer asked. Southgate dodged that question, preferring to focus on the journey so far and the preparations for the next match. That’s not to say that World Cup triumph is not on his mind.
“We have a chance to affect something bigger than ourselves,” Southgate had said when the tournament got underway. And those words now seemed like a premonition. Some upsets in the league phase and the exit of heavyweights left England with a good chance of reaching the final.
In the round of 16, when England exorcised their penalty demons with a tiebreaker win, it was redemption for Southgate too. The penalty miss of Euro 96 had scarred him, which is why he was seen consoling Colombia’s Mateus Uribe who fluffed his penalty. That to me is one of the enduring images of the football carnival in Russia.
England are dreaming big after beating Sweden. The quarterfinal win put Southgate in august company: in the company of Alf Ramsey (1966), Bobby Robson (1990) and Terry Venables (Euro 1996), who steered England into the last 4.
I am glad to see Southgate enjoy a surge in popularity. The 47-year old has become a social media celebrity, with posts and memes praising the England manager. Not bad for a manager, who was supposed to be a stop-gap appointment.
When I look at semifinalists, it’s hard to envision an England triumph. The side is not packed with world-class players, like the Belgians. They don’t have the depth of talent like the French. But, I do understand that the momentum is with them. The victories have instilled belief in them. And that matters in a major tournament.
“The lads have the chance to write their own stories now,” Southgate said in one of his interviews.
Croatia stand between England and the final. They are two steps from immortality. Whatever happens, Southgate has found a place in English hearts. That’s a giant leap from the depths of despair in 1996. Who said, nice guys don’t win.
