Gareth Southgate has resigned on Tuesday after eight years as England's manager. His resignation came two days after his defeat against Spain in the final in Berlin and after leading his team to two consecutive Euro finals, unable to end the international title drought that has lasted for 58 years.
"As a proud Englishman, it has been an honor to play for England and to coach England," he wrote in his resignation letter. "It has meant a lot to me and I have given everything. But it is time for a change, to write a new chapter. The final against Spain in Berlin was my final match as England's coach."
"The team we took to Germany is full of exciting young talents who can win all the trophies they dream of," added the former 53-year-old England manager and former player for Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. "I am very proud of them and I hope we all support them day by day to improve English football and understand the power of football to drive positive changes."
Prince William, head of the English Football Association, accepted his resignation and acknowledged feeling for his dual role as a fan, witnessing the defeat against Spain last Sunday alongside his son George. "Thank you for showing humility, compassion, and true leadership under the most intense pressure," wrote the heir to the throne on social media. "You must feel incredibly proud of what you have achieved."
Southgate had been heavily criticized during the Euro group stage for England's boring, cautious, and defensive play, despite having some of the top scorers in European leagues on his team. The criticism peaked with a goalless draw against Slovenia that turned the British fans against him, booing their own team.
Bellingham (against Slovakia), Trent Alexander Arnold (with his last penalty against Switzerland), and Watkins (against the Netherlands) managed to save the coach's job and reach the final against Spain with relative expectations, and with a sudden burst of triumphalism in their own country, despite not being favorites.
According to several British media outlets, tensions between the manager and the players reached a peak during the final itself, when Jude Bellingham (criticized for his erratic performance in the last few games) could not hide his frustration with the team's play and confronted him directly. Southgate was also accused of sticking with Harry Kane despite being out of form at the end of the season, playing Foden out of his usual position, and not giving more opportunities to offensive players like Palmer, Watkins, Eze, Toney , or Gordon.
Newcastle's coach Eddie Howe and former Chelsea coaches Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, and Thomas Tuchel are among the possible successors. Howe and Potter are initially the favorites due to the offensive and direct style of play of Newcastle and Brighton in recent seasons.
Southgate had taken over as England's coach in 2016 following the sudden resignation of Sam Allardyce. His only coaching experience until that date had been with Middlesbrough between 2006 and 2009. Before the Euro, he had hinted that he would not continue in the position if England did not return with the title.