Southgate’s England coaching set-up to blame

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Gareth Southgate’s coaching team are the issue with England, what the Saudi Pro League has planned, what transfers could happen this summer – and more! 

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Southgate’s coaching set up is a real problem for England

I like Gareth Southgate a lot, and I used to work with him years ago. He’s a super human being and a great manager. Over the years you see the other great managers, but now it’s always a management team.

In days gone by, when I was working with people like Fergie, he wasn’t the greatest tactician, but he acknowledged that and hired the best tacticians, managing them from an overall capacity and in his case, very personally.

I’m sadly of the view that the coaching set up around Gareth Southgate at the moment just isn’t right. It doesn’t play to the strengths of the players that he’s got.

Look at the way the team played last week and the week before… and eight of those players are in teams that play a high press, very quick movement of the ball, inverted wingbacks on occasion, all the kind of modern jargon that you want to throw in there, but they play it well because they’re well coached.

Gareth could do worse than just say, ‘play like you play at your team and let’s coordinate what you do in a collective,’ rather than ‘let’s play it safe here, keep it there.’

Everything’s a bit old fashioned in this setup. It’s a bit 10 years ago, it’s showing and I’m fearful.

I mean, I want England to win it, but I’m very fearful that coaching has moved on, and England haven’t in coaching terms. I’d like to see us use the wonderful players we’ve got in the ways that they’re used to being used.

Gareth is a really good man manager, I’m just not quite sure what’s happening below him in the tactical management set-up.

Spain or Germany will win the Euros

I can’t see beyond the Spain vs Germany game for the winners of Euro 2024. I just think it’s going to be one of those two.

I’d like England to be in the final but if it’s not to be, then Spain vs Germany is the final I’d like to have seen.

Expect a last-minute rush in the transfer window

There are certain players that I think are going to move this summer, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz being one.

I can’t see much beyond Bayern as far as he’s concerned,…