From pizza villain to worthy leader: The reformation of Gareth Southgate

‘MAN OF PRINCIPLE’: Gareth Southgate. Picture credit: Charlotte Wilson / Offside / Getty Images

From pizza villain to man of principle, Gareth Southgate has already redeemed himself before England even kick a ball in Euro 2020/21, writes Simon Bristow. And now is the time to heed his call for unity, and to give racism the boot

I had long been of the opinion that Gareth Southgate should not be England manager.

It had nothing to do with experience or tactical nous, or indeed with any of the usual attributes that come under scrutiny when considering one of the most hapless, doom-laden, hope-forsaken, cursed, nausea-inducing, why-do-we-even-bother tasks in international football; otherwise known as “The England Job”.

The origins of my disquiet can be traced back to a balmy June night at Wembley 25 years ago, and an epic European Championship semi-final against an old enemy, Germany.

It was Euro 96, the tournament that helped bring about a renaissance for football in this country. The “national sport” had suddenly become cool, everyone was a fan, and as the song went, football was “Coming Home”.

That was until a mild-mannered central defender called Gareth Southgate stepped up to take England’s sixth spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out.

It wasn’t a bad strike – low and firm – but it was too close to the goalkeeper, Andreas Kopke, who guessed correctly and dived to his right to block. Germany captain Andreas Moller duly scored the next to send his side through to the final, which they went on to win.

It was easy to forgive Southgate’s miss. Everyone makes mistakes, and if one team can’t beat another over 90 minutes then it is a collective failure.

SAVED: Gareth Southgate’s penalty against Germany

But what was harder to understand was Southgate’s subsequent appearance in a TV advert for Pizza Hut mocking his miss, seated alongside two other penalty villains in Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle.

“Thanks a lot, boys, I feel much better now,” said Southgate after removing a paper bag from his head to eat a slice of pizza. He then banged his head after getting up to leave, at which Pearce quipped: “This time he’s hit the post!”

How they laughed! If others saw the funny side I was not among them.

It seems safe to assume these spot-kick specialists were paid for their pizza work. What a strange thing to do; reward failure. No one remembers the England players who actually score penalties.

If football is just a panto, why not make it clear at the outset and have the players take the field in costumes rather than kit? Nor would there be any need for the lung-bursting histrionics of people like Pearce when belting out the national anthem.

It made me wonder what was really going through his head the next time he sang along with his chest puffed out. Was it “God save my deep pan?”

And what mind games does this play with their successors if they find themselves taking that lonely walk to the penalty spot at the business end of another major championship? Is their focus not undermined by intrusive thoughts such as “What if I hit the corner flag? I’ll be famous forever!”

‘LEFT A BAD TASTE’: Gareth Southgate’s pizza advert

Fast forward to 2018 and the mighty England are back on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup. They are being led into the semi-final by their happening new manager, Gareth Southgate, in his trademark waistcoat.

All they had to do was beat Croatia to reach only their second World Cup Final. All they had to do was beat Croatia. Beat Croatia.

Sadly, for Southgate’s men, they were beaten in extra time, and thus denied the comic gold moment of a penalty miss that usually defines England’s exit from a major tournament.

Southgate should not be England manager, I told myself, while taking another bite out of a delicious pepperoni with cheese.

Now to more recent events, in which the England boss has forced me to reappraise my entire opinion of him as a suitable national coach, and of his character in general.

And as we stand on the eve of England’s first game in another major tournament, I have to say I could not be more proud of the man who leads us into it, and the players he has in his squad.

It’s the same Gareth Southgate, but I now know him to be a man of resolute courage, principle, and depth; because he has already demonstrated the kind of leadership qualities that command respect.

It would have been easy for him to dodge the unpleasant furore around his players’ admirable decision to “take the knee” as a very public and determined anti-racism gesture. And lesser men surely would, no doubt along the lines of wanting to “concentrate on the football”.

DEJECTED: Gareth Southgate after England’s Euro 96 exit

But this week, Southgate spoke eloquently and powerfully about his support for the players. It was a call for unity, but he did not sit on the fence.

Writing in The Players’ Tribune, in an open letter addressed to “Dear England,” he said: “Why would you choose to insult somebody for something as ridiculous as the colour of their skin?

“Why?

“Unfortunately for those people that engage in that kind of behaviour, I have some bad news. You’re on the losing side. It’s clear to me that we are heading for a much more tolerant and understanding society, and I know our lads will be a big part of that.”

When the article was posted on Twitter, there was no shortage of England sporting greats lining up in approval.

“You really should read this,” said rugby legend Brian Moore.

“Heartfelt, important and patriotic,” said Gary Lineker.

And then Labour leader Keir Starmer got in on the act, saying: “This is England.”

Starmer went further, accusing Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a Guardian article of a “failure of leadership” by not condemning fans who booed the England players for taking the knee in a recent friendly against Austria.

On Monday, Johnson’s official spokesman appeared to offer moral equivalence to both sides of the argument, saying he “fully respects the right of those who choose to peacefully protest and make their feelings known”, adding: “On taking the knee, specifically, the Prime Minister is more focused on action rather than gestures."

Is he indeed? But of course, racism is a difficult area for Johnson.

He denied himself any access to the moral high ground on this subject through the crassly unpleasant language he used as a newspaper columnist – writing of “piccaninnies” when describing people in the Commonwealth, and “watermelon smiles” in reference to people in Africa.

Added to that are his descriptions of Muslim women wearing burkas as “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”.

SUPPORT: Tweets about Gareth Southgate’s ‘Dear England’ letter

This, surely, is the sort of lexicon the booing fans would be comfortable with, and that which the players are demonstrating against.

So if Southgate is right, and I hope he is, the Prime Minister will find himself on the wrong side of history.

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi seemed similarly confused when he joined the debate.

In an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Zahawi seemed to unequivocally back Southgate, saying: “The elegant way, quite passionate way, that the England manager, Gareth Southgate, put this is exactly where the Prime Minister is, where this government is.”

But when later asked if taking the knee was creating new divisions in sport, Zahawi said: “The symbolism of reminding the world of how painful it is to be subjected to the racism that Marcus Rashford has been subjected to, whether on social media or elsewhere, I absolutely back.

“If you then extrapolate to a Black Lives Matter movement that has a political agenda … that’s a different place, that’s my point, which is why I think we just have to differentiate and rightly back our team.”

Oh dear.  Taking the knee IS political. Challenging, demonstrating against, and opposing racism IS political.

Racism has been so endemic in this country we have had to put anti-racism laws on the statute book. They were made by politicians. Of course there’s a political agenda – it’s anti-racist.

Taking the knee is so effective because it is so easily understood. It’s an anti-racism gesture. The appropriate response for fans is applause and solidarity. Those who boo should be banned until they can be rehabilitated.

As Southgate said of his players in his landmark letter: “We must give them the confidence to stand up for their teammates and the things that matter to them as people.

“I have never believed that we should just stick to football.”

Hear, hear. So here’s hoping the nation unites behind Southgate and the team when England take the field for their tournament bow tomorrow. And let’s make it clear to anyone who boos that they are not welcome at the party.

And then all we have to do is beat Croatia.