Yet the guy that made it to two finals on merit (according to you), is a guy that 0% of fans in any top 4 team (go look up United's fans reaction to him being linked, and you know what ours would be) in any major league would want as a manager? that says way more than my opinion
I don't think England has a bad squad, and Bedford's list is 2 players at par, 3 improved, hardly glowing review. I actually think the thing that has been the difference for England in this generation vs previous is the bench, I just think tactically, intent and player selection is what holds back.
I'm not picking on the players (even the ones I don't rate), I'm picking on the manager who in your opinion is good enough,. It's quite funny as a Spurs fan, because the next question is for England is being also ran good enough ..
You've put a fair few words / thoughts in my mouth there but okay.
You're basing your "facts" on are what some fans from clubs with huge fan bases reckon and which players have supposedly improved their reputation according to you (a list that suggests you haven't been watching the games), I'm basing my opinions on what's actually factually happened in reality.
Gareth Southgate is good enough to have gotten us to two consecutive finals, whatever negative embellishments nomarks on the internet want to place on top sure as fudge don't change the reality of it.
If you're one of the many who want to act like Southgate has tinkled on their chips then we either lost it because he is useless, or we win it despite him. Preset options to confirm bias rather than feeling any holistic recognition of the progress we've made along with the foundations laid for the future.
I do agree that we have a much improved bench and the use of it was good throughout. My main bugbear was starting with Kane, I'm not out here pretending I agreed with every decision Southgate made.
What holds us back is that there's a lot of very good teams, it's never easy to win tournaments, that's kind of the point. It still feels like we're in a good position moving forwards as there's plenty of talent. But like with Henderson, sometimes it's best move past experience and look at what the player is contributing. Maino might be a flash in the pan but he got MOM in an FA cup final against City, done more in his first final at 19 then Kane has managed in all total.
Edit - If it sounds like I'm laying in to Kane, it's not his fault he wasn't fully fit and he doesn't pick himself. The system with Foden and Bellingham doesn't suit him at this stage, and as I think you may have said, long term it may just be one or the other (in terms of Foden / Bellingham). Mistakes were made elsewhere on the pitch and usually we're tight in defense but we were getting played through early second half
I love Kane and he's an incredible player, but he looked like a Bosnian journeyman in this tournament. I don't love the spectral version of Kane that appears in finals. Trippier gets absolutely shredded despite actually playing well but making the cardinal sin of not being left footed?