Gareth Southgate special part 1: "Nice guy, bit boring..?" Not so fast.

Chief sports correspondent for The Times Matt Lawton and Chief sports writer for the Sunday Times David Walsh join Tom Clarke for a unique look at England manager Gareth Southgate.

David Walsh helped write Southgate’s award winning book in 2004 and broke the news in 2022 that Southgate would be staying on as England manager. Matt Lawton has covered England throughout Southgate’s tenure. Both give rare insight into how he operates and what the man is really like.

If you think the England manager is a bit boring, listen to this first.

Timeline:

Boring ?

2’ Are fans getting a bit tired of Southgate? Nice guy, bit boring…might be a misconception.

4’ one of the most interesting people I have ever met.

6’ Gareth wrote a chapter of his book in four hours overnight. The subject was Alen Boksic.

Playing career

12’ Southgate’s playing career. Never got the big move he wanted.

14’ loved by Venables.

18’ unfulfilled as a player.

21’ Middlesborough, leader in the dressing room.

23’ Euro 96 Gareth Southgate played every game. Arguably England’s best player. Took a penalty, but others didn’t step up in front of a young player. The press were kind. What does that say for how they viewed Southgate.

29’ Southgate learnt and changed. He implemented practicing penalties.

34’ captain everywhere he went. But to start with quite nice. Managers worked to bring out his toughness. He had has an inner steel.

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