July 16th 2024.
The recent Euro 2024 final was a tough loss for England, marking their second consecutive defeat in the tournament. Gareth Southgate, the team's manager, faced criticism for his decision to start Harry Kane, but former goalkeeper David James has come to his defense. Despite the disappointment, James insists that Southgate should continue in his role and not let the defeat discourage him.
Spain's victory over England in Berlin on Sunday made them the first nation to win back-to-back European Championship finals. It was another difficult night for Three Lions captain Kane, who has been struggling to find his form throughout the tournament. Despite scoring three goals and finishing as the joint-top goalscorer, Southgate admitted that Kane didn't reach the level he was hoping for.
However, James believes that Southgate's decision to start Kane was the right one, as it worked well in the first half. He acknowledges that the team was not creating many chances, but they were able to neutralize Spain, who were the most dangerous team in the tournament. James also defends Southgate's choice to keep Kane on the pitch despite calls for Ollie Watkins to start. He believes that the team was set up for a specific purpose and that there is no guarantee that they would have performed better with Watkins.
In the end, Spain's team cohesion and skill proved to be too much for England to handle. Despite the loss, James praises the team for putting themselves in a position to potentially go to extra time and the fact that Kane was on the pitch for 60 minutes of the game. He also acknowledges the impact that Watkins had when he came on as a substitute, but ultimately credits Spain for being the better team.
Southgate's future as England's manager has been a topic of discussion, especially after his back-to-back defeats in European Championship finals. While he has received support from former players such as Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, James also wanted him to continue in his role. He believes that Southgate's record of consistently getting the team to the quarter-finals or finals of major tournaments is impressive and that his replacement would be expected to do the same.
In regards to the recent final, James believes that it was a tough match for England, as they were up against the best team in European Championship finals history. Spain's seven wins in seven games during the tournament showed their dominance, and James acknowledges that in order to win a title, one must beat the best. He also notes that Spain's victory over Germany in the quarter-finals showed their strength and that England gave them a good fight in the final.
Despite the disappointment, James believes that everyone on the England team did their best, but it just wasn't enough to overcome Spain's talent and cohesion. He credits Spain for being a top-class team and acknowledges that England's performance in the final was still admirable. As for Southgate's future, he believes it should be his decision to make, but he is fully behind him if he chooses to stay on as England's manager.
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