Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has insisted that former England manager Gareth Southgate deserves to be applauded for his achievement with the Three Lions at Euro 2024.
Recall that some sections of the media criticized Southgate’s tactics at the tournament despite leading the team to the final, where they lost 2-1 to Spain.
However, in an interview with BBC Sports, Maguire stated that throughout Southgate’s tenure as manager, there’s been a really positive outlook.
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“Yes, England’s performances may not have been great, but that’s the football you see in such a short tournament. It’s not so easy to see. football of a certain type, there are many fewer risks taken by the players. You cannot afford to make mistakes or have the ball stolen by getting out of complex situations in a clean way. It was not for nothing that we saw that there were not many high-scoring victories.”
“I found it (the criticism) a bit ridiculous. I really don’t know what the media or the fans expected from this team. To go and beat Serbia 4-0 in the first match and then beat Denmark 3-0? They thought it would just be a walk in the park? I’m not sure where the narrative has changed. Throughout Gareth Southgate’s tenure as manager, there’s been a really positive outlook.”
“It was difficult not to participate. It was really frustrating to work all season to be in top shape both mentally and physically and to be able to feel like I could really make the difference for Manchester United and for my country, without then being able to take part.”
