Is Gareth Southgate The Right Man To Lead England To 2022 World Cup Glory?

The bigger picture paints Gareth Southgate in a good light as England manager. The 52-year-old is already the second-most successful Three Lions boss after Sir Alf Ramsey having guided his team to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup followed by the final of Euro 2020. And yet the immediate outlook isn’t so kind to Southgate.

England enter the 2022 World Cup amid a cloud of criticism. Recent defeats to Hungary and Italy have raised questions about the team under Southgate’s stewardship. Indeed, England appear to have suffered a regression since making the Euro 2020 final a year-and-a-half ago. They must build their confidence again in Qatar.

Southgate has undoubtedly improved England as a team over the course of his tenure. Expectations were low when he assumed the job back in 2016. England had grown accustomed to failing to make much of an impression at major tournaments after losing to Iceland in the Euro 2016 round of 16.

Now, England are widely seen as one of the strongest teams at international level. This, however, is why so many fans are on edge as the 2022 World Cup begins. This should be a golden opportunity for England to end their long wait to become world champions again and instead they have no momentum at all.

A compact foundation has made England difficult to beat at major tournaments, but some supporters believe Southgate should be doing more to harness the attacking talent at his disposal. It’s certainly true that England currently boast an array of excellent attackers, but Southgate continues to adopt a conservative approach.

England might have to ditch that conservative approach to break down Iran, USA and Wales in their group at the 2022 World Cup. Southgate’s team will have to be the aggressors. They will have to find a way through low defensive blocks, something England haven’t always excelled at in recent times.

“I think it’s crazy talk because what he’s done the last two tournaments, people’s perception changes so quickly,” England defender Eric Dier said about Southgate, defending his manger from criticism ahead of the start of the 2022 World Cup. “You’ve got to remember what England were doing before.

“He [Southgate] has taken England to the semi-final of a World Cup and the final of a Euros, and at that point we are talking about small margins that change the outcome of those results. It is just the world we live in. The criticism is crazy after a small run of results considering how England have performed at the last two tournaments, and he was at the forefront of that. That conversation is crazy.”

Ultimately, Southgate’s reputation as England manager will be determined by what happens at the 2022 World Cup. Vindication would look like either making the final or lifting the trophy. Anything less than this will be considered a step backwards given the success enjoyed at the previous two tournaments. Only then will questions about Southgate be answered.