Coach Southgate is being mocked, the players are not being given a pass to their teammates: Despite reaching the round of 16 as group winners, the mood around the English team is bad – there are clear reasons for the paralysing performances.
After England’s third frustrating European Championship match, Gareth Southgate showed the courage that his team had previously lacked. The coach defied the outrage in the Cologne stadium and ran towards the English fans – as a protective shield for his team following behind him. The supporters hurled full beer mugs at him from the stands, landing dangerously close to his feet. But even beer barrels would not have made Southgate turn back. The 53-year-old has already endured difficult situations in his career as a player and coach, such as his missed penalty in the semi-final of the 1996 European Championship against Germany. This had long made him a target for the nation.