‘It’s his perfect job’: Gareth Southgate was always destined for management
Gareth Southgate was always destined for management, even as a player his teammates knew he would go on to coach.
Southgate is preparing for another a European Championship semi-final at Wembley 25 years after he last reached this stage as a player.
Gianluca Festa played alongside the England boss during their days together at Middlesbrough in the early 2000s.
The Italian defender quickly spotted the characteristics that made Southgate an obvious leader on and off the pitch.
“I think even when he was a player, especially in the final years, he was already thinking like a coach,” Festa told ITV News. “That was his perfect job.”
Southgate captained every club he played for during a 21-year career at Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, a sign how much respect he had from coaches and players.
“He is a gentleman and a very nice guy. He is very calm and was a very good player, not to mention a very good teammate. He helped the coach build a very good team spirit within the dressing room. It was very nice to play with him and know him.”
There is always an emphasis on harmony within a Southgate dressing room, whether as a captain or coach, with the current England squad showing a great degree of togetherness.
“He didn’t shout, he was calm. To be a leader, sometimes you do not need to shout, you need to have a good personality and he was one of those players who all the teammates need to feel better, he helped everyone to reach their maximum potential, as he had good experience as a player. He was not a selfish player, he thought about the team not himself.
“He always gave information during the game, gave advice to the other players, he was very alert about every aspect of the game,” Festa explains.
“He was not just thinking about his job on the pitch, he was thinking about the role of every teammate, too.”
As Middlesbrough manager, Southgate did not have the dream first job, as he took them down from the Premier League and left the role after a disappointing start to his third season in charge after relegation.
He has bounced back after a spell as a pundit and being England Under-21 manager, which saw him replace Sam Allardyce in the top job.
Festa appreciates a good defence and has been impressed by England’s who are yet to concede a goal in their five Euros matches.
“It is very important, he was a good defending, so he knows all the tricks and can give very good advice, also with individual tactics. How to move as a team and how to work as individuals, so he can be a great help to the defenders.”
If England do beat Denmark on Wednesday, it could see them play Festa’s Italy, who face Spain on Tuesday, in the final, something the Italians are becoming increasingly wary of.
England v Denmark: What you need to know about the Euro 2020 semi-final
When is the match happening?
When is the match happening?
The Euro 2020 semi-final kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday 7 July at Wembley Stadium.
Can I get a ticket?
Can I get a ticket?
The FA has said the England Supporters Travel club will have an allocation of nearly 8,500 tickets for the game, with remaining tickets going on sale to those who applied for tickets in the original ticket application process in 2019 but did not choose to return them or requested a refund. Otherwise, it looks like there isn't another way to get tickets - all tickets for the games are sold via the Uefa ticket portal and both England's semi-final and the final are marked as sold out.
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
The game will be broadcast on ITV, with coverage starting from 6.30pm. It will also be available to stream online on the ITV Hub (for viewers in the UK only).
When is the final?
When is the final?
The Euro 2020 final will take place at Wembley on Sunday 11 July at 8pm.
“I am really really happy about the results. The second team I support is England and the hope the final will be Italy against England.
“There is a little bit of surprise in Italy; not many people believed in this England team but I said before on Italian TV that England could be a surprise in this tournament.
“Now England are doing very well, very solid at the back and very fast on the counter attack. They have very, very good players. Everyone in Italy thinks England is a very good organisation, they are very solid and everyone in Italy is now very worried about England.”
Back in 1996, when England last reached this stage, Southgate was a player and it was his spot-kick in the penalty shootout that ultimately cost England a place in the final, something he is keen to rectify.
For many it is a moment that defined the defender’s career, a low in over 20 years as a professional. The weight of Andreas Kopke’s save in 1996 still burdens Southgate as his comments after defeating Germany in the last-16 show.
Former teammate Andy Woodman was Southgate's Best Man at his wedding
"For my teammates that played with me I can't change that (penalty miss) so it will always hurt,” Southgate said.
Southgate looked to take the positives out of such a crushing moment, saying he would not change it as the miss has made him a “stronger person”.
Although, once again, the expectations of a nation are firmly weighted on his shoulders, Southgate has not changed since his early days an apprentice at Crystal Palace.
Former goalkeeper Andy Woodman grew up in the Palace youth team with Southgate, going on to become the England manager’s best man, giving a unique insight on his progression on and off the pitch.
“If you interview him, if you speak to him, if you’re around him, he is the same guy,” Woodman told ITV News.
“People say to me ‘he must be different away from the cameras and the spotlight’.
“He is a funny guy, he is very witty as you’ve probably seen little flashes of.
“He is no different and he hasn’t changed from being 15 when we were young aspiring footballers to now, he is still the same friend I have grown up with.”
Throughout his playing days he was a calm and composed character, mainly playing as a centre-back after starting his career as a midfielder.
Sports psychologist Michael Caulfield started working with Southgate during his playing days
Not afraid to look outside the box for improving standards, Southgate turned to sports psychologist Michael Caulfield, before they were the norm in the game, when playing at Middlesbrough.
“He is the ultimate team person, he wants the team to thrive,” Caulfield told ITV News.
“He is not in it for himself, he certainly wasn’t as a player and he is not as a head coach.”
Southgate is happy for the focus to be him on and not the team during a tournament as he looks to alleviate the obvious pressures connected with top level football.
The team as a whole are reflecting their manager, a humble man with a steely focus and determination to get the job done.
“Every comment I have seen him make during the Euros, even when they’d just beaten Germany, he will still talking about his teammates from 96. He just wants the team to do well and he wants the country to enjoy it.”