WITH Euro 2024 looming this has led to questions about whether Gareth Southgate needs to win to be a great England manager.
And that is what our SunSport experts have been discussing on the Big Debate.
England qualified for Euro 2024 in Germany next year with two games to go after beating Italy 3-1 at Wembley last month.
However, despite Southgate’s success since taking over the leading role in 2016 many debate whether he needs to secure a European cup to become a great manager.
SunSport’s chief sports writer Dave Kidd believes the Three Lions boss is already one of the best and compared him to Sir Alf Ramsey who led the country to their only World Cup in 1966.
Kidd said: “No I don’t think he does. He absolutely is England’s best manager in 50 years since Alf Ramsey.
“His record speaks for itself. He got to the final of a major championship in the last Euros and performed very well at two World Cups.
“He’s transformed the culture around the place and players actually want to play for England and enjoy playing for England.
“He doesn’t need to win the tournament to prove his greatness. I do think he will win the Euros having said that.”
Coming up from the Three Lions ranks as an U21 coach he broke through into the senior position ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
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Unfortunately, Southgate’s England side suffered a 2–1 defeat to Croatia during extra time in the semi-finals.
But he then led the team to a third-place finish in the Uefa Nations League.
Then England succumbed to a 3-2 defeat on penalties in the Euro 2020 final against Italy and were then knocked out in the quarter-finals by France in the 2022 World Cup.
And senior football writer Tom Barclay argued the reason why some fans doubt Southgate’s greatness as England are yet to bring home silverware.
Barclay said: “I do think there’s a reason why fans give him a bit of flack.
“Some of that is to do with short memory. We have forgotten where we are at when he first came in.
“And we also have the best generation of players that i can remember that he has got at his disposal. So there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that.”
Boasting a dazzling array of stars such as Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, the England squad is bursting with talent and potential.
Southgate will have to rise to the challenge if he is to lead his side to European glory next summer.
