Overtime reporters ask people in Brighton city centre if they think Southgate should still be the boss.
Interviews by: Ayush Chatterjee, Joe Williams, Chioma Eduozar and Anujit Vijayakumar
Matthew Dale, 27, a server at McDonald’s, from Leicester, said: “No, definitely not. I think he’s overachieved in the tournaments he’s overseen, partly down to getting some easy draws and he plays very defensive football and we have a lot of good attacking players available that he is clearly not getting the best out of.
“I don’t know if it would achieve very much for him to go now because then the new manager would have no games to work with the squad but I think he should go after the World Cup, no matter how we do, even if we do well.”
Zach Rowlins, 26, a carpenter from Brighton, said: “Yeah, I think so. I think he did a good job last time in the Euros. I think he had a good plan last time, so I think we should stick with it, probably.
“I think they just fluffed it in the end really, but he had a good plan to be honest or so I thought. This time around, I think they can definitely get to the semi-finals. I think maybe they can get into the finals. I don’t think they’ll win it but maybe.”
Basil Benthose, 73, a retiree from Brighton, said: “Yes. Because he’s been at it for a while. You need to give him a chance to do it. Managers need to stay.
“He has been trusted for quite a long time now, so, you know. He’s had a bad run but we have to give him a chance. I think it is a terrible culture, this culture of jumping ship.”
Ian Phelps, 69, retired, from Eastbourne, said: “Absolutely. Too late to change. I am hoping they are going to perform better than they have in the UEFA Nations League. I don’t expect them to win, but I expect them to get to the knock-out stages, at least. You would hope they’d get to (the same level as) the Euros.
“Trouble is, it takes time to grow and build a team together. I think even a year is too short. You’ve got to have a decent run-in. Probably two years minimum with a number of games, getting your squad, getting your team together. I think he got the team together, it won, certainly before the Nations League. I don’t think their hearts were in this, they were probably thinking about the World Cup and hopefully we’ll get a much-improved performance.”
Paul Laden, 51, a PE teacher from Brighton, said: “I think it is probably too late to change. I don’t think they’re playing well at the moment. Obviously, a tournament is a different situation.
“No other candidate springs directly to mind at the moment. I always find England difficult to watch. I think they are constantly underperforming. Even against what you’d deem as weaker opposition, they should be winning by more goals.
“Yes. No other candidate springs directly to mind at the moment. I always find England difficult to watch. I think they are constantly underperforming. Even against what you’d deem as weaker opposition, they should be winning by more goals.”
