England supporters are divided as Gareth Southgate closes in on new two-year deal

England supporters are divided as Gareth Southgate closes in on new two-year deal… with some fans praising boss for progress at the World Cup and Euro 2020 while others fear he is ‘wasting talent’











News of Gareth Southgate’s impending contract extension has been met with a mixed response from England fans as the Three Lions boss looks set to remain in the hot seat until 2024 at the earliest. 

Sportsmail understands that Southgate, 51, is on the verge of putting pen to paper on a two-year contract extension that could see him earn beyond the £5million mark if bonuses are reached. 

Southgate has transformed the national team’s fortunes since taking the helm in 2016, guiding the Three Lions to a World Cup semi-final and the Euro 2020 final this summer.

England fans are divided over news of Gareth Southgate’s impending contract extension

The 51-year-old is set to be rewarded with a new deal following last summer's Euro success

The 51-year-old is set to be rewarded with a new deal following last summer’s Euro success

However, some supporters have expressed their disappointment at this latest development, fearing that the former Middlesbrough manager’s apparent ‘defensive-minded’ football will hinder England’s plentiful attacking talents.

‘You can hear every young attacking minded player groaning all at once,’ said @robincharlesw67.

‘Another generation of talented players going to go to waste,’ @Sallis77 said.

Some England supporters are concerned that Southgate may waste his attacking talent

Some England supporters are concerned that Southgate may waste his attacking talent

Supporters expressed fear that England's agonising wait for another trophy will continue

Supporters expressed fear that England’s agonising wait for another trophy will continue

‘Well, they won’t win anything with him in charge,’ claimed @ManUtdHeStands. 

Yet this view was not shared across the board, with a number of supporters believing that Southgate has earned his extension for breathing life into the previously beleaguered Three Lions. 

‘Sir Gareth bringing out best tournament performances let him continue,’ @OLC517 posted.

‘Good, I’m getting used to doing well at the big tournaments,’ @michaelkillgallo wrote. ‘Long may it last.’   

However, others said that Southgate has earned his new deal due to his remarkable job done

However, others said that Southgate has earned his new deal due to his remarkable job done

Southgate has injected life into the national side and fans want to see that continued

Southgate has injected life into the national side and fans want to see that continued

‘Makes sense, considering he’s our most successful manager since Sir Alf Ramsey,’ @C_Anderson1998 posted. ‘That might be an inconvenient truth to many, but it is objectively true.’ 

For now, Southgate is understood to have his focus firmly set on the immediate task at hand – to secure qualification for next year’s World Cup – before the new extension is announced.

They can achieve that feat if they win their next two qualifiers, starting tonight against Albania at Wembley. The Three Lions then take on minnows San Marino on Monday.

Should he see out his new contract, Southgate will have spent 13 years with the Football Association – including his previous stints as head of elite development and Under-21 manager.  

Southgate's immediate focus is on securing qualification for next year's World Cup in Qatar

Southgate’s immediate focus is on securing qualification for next year’s World Cup in Qatar

Eight years as Three Lions boss will match Sir Bobby Robson’s effort from 1982 to 1990, while tonight he draws level with Sven Goran Eriksson for England games managed (67). 

Only Robson, Sir Alf Ramsey and Walter Winterbottom have managed more international matches for England while only Capello boasts a better win percentage. 

Southgate will be tasked with bringing the best out of an exciting and burgeoning class of talented youngsters coming through, with it hoped that the likes of Phil Foden, Mason Mount and Bukayo Saka can lead England to their second major trophy by Euro 2024.