Cloudy Skies and Cloudy Feelings

When I saw yesterday’s weather forecast predicting a cloudy and wet day, I couldn’t help but think England would lose last night. It always seems to be gloomy the day after an England defeat. While this might not be true, it certainly feels that way. However, the loss last night didn’t carry the same desperation as that wet night at Wembley three years ago. That evening, after a day of anarchy, ended with a dispiriting loss and sickening racial abuse.

Waking up on that wet July Monday morning in 2021, was as disheartening as it gets. This morning, though, I woke up not miserable but puzzled about how England were totally schooled by Spain. There’s some solace in knowing that Spain’s wastefulness and an excellent performance by Jordan Pickford kept the scoreline respectable. In fact, if a late scramble hadn’t been cleared off the line, England could have taken the game into extra time, where anything could have happened. I’d have fancied us on penalties.

Questions and Consolations

It would have been an injustice had England got back in the game, but as an England fan, it’s one I would have gladly gorged on. Unfortunately, England’s luck in this tournament finally ran out, leaving fans wondering what went wrong. Were England tactically outdated, wasting the talent of fine players, or do we just have to accept that sometimes the other team is simply better? It does happen, even if some of England’s more naive fans believe we should thrash everyone.

I won’t pretend to know the answer, but looking back, it was sporadic moments of brilliance that got England as far as they did. In a goal-of-the-tournament competition, England would have four contenders, with Cole Palmer’s equalizer last night being a memorable but ultimately forgotten moment. Why was that brilliance only sporadic? Were the players exhausted after a long season, or was it merely tactical ineptitude? Probably a bit of both.

The Game: A Tale of Two Halves

At halftime, I was reasonably content with the first half. Before the game, a BBC video set to emotional music featured friends and family sending messages of support to the players. This always gets me teary-eyed and hyped up. I sat down with one of my oldest friends, bracing for a roller coaster of anxiety. However, the game was scrappy, with no flow. England created a few half-chances that didn’t quite fall to the right players, and Spain dominated possession. A 0-0 scoreline was a fair reflection at that point.

Right at the start of the second half, Spain ripped through a sluggish England, and Williams finished smartly. Suddenly, England were on the ropes with Spain swarming all over them. It felt like a boxing match where the referee hops around in panic before stepping in to halt proceedings. I found myself hoping it wouldn’t be 4-0, as that would be horrible for all concerned. A hammering on the biggest stage would be hard to take.

England’s Resilience Shines Through

However, if nothing else, England is a resilient team. What they lack in fluidity, they make up for in spirit and belief. After getting away with several near-misses, the substitutes started causing Spain problems, and I sensed them regretting not finishing the game when they had the chance. Then it happened: a fine move, and bang, Cole Palmer drilled expertly into the net from distance. Lift-off for England.

Spain suddenly looked like a boxer who had dominated 11 rounds but got caught by an unexpected uppercut. I briefly thought England had Spain exactly where they wanted them. Rattled by having their dominance turned into parity, how would they respond? Very well, as it turned out. England’s attempt to go for the jugular lasted about 90 seconds before Spain quickly reasserted themselves. Rather than panic, they decided not to mess it up. When their second goal came, it wasn’t really a shock; it felt inevitable.

The Final Moments

As the game entered its desperate final minutes, England tried to go out swinging and almost floored Spain with a late flurry of headers. Given England’s luck in this tournament, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the net had bulged in a moment of unexpected euphoria. However, it would have masked a generally uninspiring performance on the biggest stage. Not that I would have cared at that point.

So, as much as I don’t like saying it, Spain were worthy winners. My feeling was one of disappointment rather than rage or overwhelming misery. England were well beaten but at least avoided a thrashing that would be hard to erase from the memory. Three years ago, we should have beaten Italy, but last night, we were beaten by the better team. The responsibility lies with Southgate, but I’m not sure if Pep, Klopp, Ancelotti, or anyone else would have made a difference.

The Future: A Call for Careful Consideration

Southgate is a good-hearted, kind human being. His voice was shaking at the end, and he looked traumatized by failure. I can’t help but think that if he were the CEO of a company like Thames Water, the country would be in a better place. He is a decent man who has demanded the same decency from his players, who have conducted themselves superbly. However, his time may be up. He has twice taken England to places they haven’t been since 1966, but it feels like this is as far as he can go with his conservative nature. The question remains: is it the players who are not good enough or the way they are set up that is failing them?

Fresh ideas and a new face won’t be a bad thing, but to improve on Southgate’s record, England must win something. If the players at the new manager’s disposal aren’t good enough, he will fail too. The only way a new manager can improve on what Southgate has achieved is to win a trophy. That’ll take some doing and will probably end in failure. England fans sometimes forget that there are a dozen or more teams globally as good as them. Winning a trophy is a huge challenge.

Embracing the Positives

Personally, it feels like the first day back at work after a great holiday. I got really involved in the Euros, following loads of games, not just England’s. When England played, I loved watching reruns of goals, reading media reviews, and talking to people about the next challenge. The days in between games were full of excitement, and let’s not forget the goals England scored—four absolute beauties at critical times in games that had us leaping from our chairs.

I loved feeling like a kid again during those great escapes. I welled up when I saw the pure joy on Watkins face when all his boyhood dreams came true. England really struggled at times but in my opinion, if you can’t admire their ability to somehow escape from the brink of misery, you have no soul. I don’t know if another manager could gave done better. I don’t even know if the players are better or worse than they showed. What I do know is that against resilient, well-organised teams, they searched for the heroes inside themselves and rescued the team, the manager, and the fans from a horrible early exit. Last night was one rescue act too many.

Respecting the Effort

So, the players and the manager, let’s treat them with respect. The players, some fitter than others, had long seasons before coming together to form a team with players they often play against, not with. They do it for free, contributing all their appearance money to charity. The manager must then find a formula that works. He got it right and wrong, and was arguably found wanting. However, they stuck together and somehow got themselves out of various deep holes with a sprinkling of brilliance. If their performances weren’t great, their belief to turn things around was.

The FA needs to take a step forward, not back. Southgate has taken England to new heights; the next step is to reach the summit. They need to be very careful about their next appointment. In my opinion, the way forward is to embrace Southgate’s achievements and build on them, not reset and start from scratch. If that happens, to quote a 1990s Jimmy Hill, “we’ll go on getting bad results.”

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away….