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Gareth Southgate: England 'work in progress' after World Cup qualification

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England 1-0 Slovenia: Gareth Southgate says England aren't going to become Spain overnight

Gareth Southgate says his England side remain "a work in progress" and warned they "won't become Spain in eight months" after they qualified for next summer's World Cup in Russia.

Harry Kane's stoppage-time goal saw off Slovenia on Thursday but England were poor at a subdued Wembley.

Southgate said: "This team has potential but we have a hell of a lot of work to do.

"It's blindingly obvious we could have played better - but we are there."

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Southgate has guided his team to an expected qualification - their sixth World Cup in a row, equalling England's best run - after taking over from Sam Allardyce in November.

His side have dropped just four points in the whole campaign but were flat at Wembley until Kane continued his hot scoring streak with a 14th goal in nine games for club and country.

When England travel to Russia, it will be 52 years since the 1966 World Cup victory on home soil. However, Spain - who Southgate chose to reference - won three major tournaments back to back between 2008 and 2012.

The 47-year-old said: "Tonight highlighted where we are. Of course we'd have liked to have played more fluidly and scored more goals.

"It is a work in progress and when I was given the job the aim was to qualify for the World Cup. As a young team having to deal with the expectation and criticism of their performances, it is tough for them.

"They are giving everything they've got. They don't have Champions League winning medals between them.

"In the end, it's crucial for English football to be at the World Cup."

England medals
England's starting line-up against Slovenia have won a total of 22 club medals. Of those, Ryan Bertrand (Champions League), Marcus Rashford (Europa League) and Gary Cahill (both) have won European medals.

Official preparations for next year's trip to Russia can now start - but England have just one win at a World Cup finals since 2006.

A kind draw on 1 December would help, but Southgate - who went to World Cups as a player in 1998 and 2002 - is aware that expectations will rise despite a poor showing on Thursday.

"The players are suffering the consequences of 25 years, 30 years, 40 years, or whatever - but that isn't their fault," he said.

"We have to give them the backing to go and believe.

"It's the nature of playing for England and managing England. We're a country of high expectations.

"I've seen Bobby Robson get to a World Cup semi-final in 1990 and get hammered up until the quarter-final stage. I can rationalise it all."

England 1-0 Slovenia: Harry Kane says England should be proud as a nation

'Nothing to fear from England' - analysis

BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty

Southgate acknowledged the level of discontent that swept around Wembley during this abject display by his side.

Southgate accepted it was up to his England players to transform Wembley into a "cauldron" - but this was more like throwing a bucket of ice cold water over any sense of optimism surrounding their aspirations at the World Cup in Russia next summer.

Yes, England achieved the goal of qualification. Yes, England got the win they wanted thanks to Kane's goal deep into injury time.

And yes, Southgate's side sent a message out to any opponents waiting to meet them next summer. The problem is the message this game sent out was: "You have nothing to fear from England."

Southgate rightly made the point that this is a work in progress and it would be hugely unjust to saddle him with the baggage of previous failures, such as the embarrassment of an exit to Iceland in the last 16 of Euro 2016.

The immediate problem, however, is that the countdown to the 2018 World Cup starts now and England look well short of coming anywhere near sides who have ambitions of making their mark in Russia.

England's central midfield is plodding in the extreme, lacking inspiration and their defence still looks like it would be vulnerable to high-class opposition.

Southgate possesses quality in attack but the mediocrity delivered in front of a cynical and at times sarcastic Wembley gallery was a sad reflection on England's current status.

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621 comments

  • Comment posted by D1710594370596, at 07:30 6 Oct 2017

    Insisting on playing two holding midfielders against weak opposition is laughable. You just know when Southgate orders a curry it's a Korma with boiled rice and a glass of water on the side.

    I would love to see an England team that played the "English" way and went for it. None of this over technical tippy tappy rubbish that our players don't have the technical ability to carry out.

  • Comment posted by rjhsteel, at 03:35 6 Oct 2017

    I actually think England have always been an average side, the World Cup win was home advantage used to its maximum. In 1990, we actually played poorly and got lucky to get to the semi final. In Euro 96, at home again, semi final.
    We, the fans, the press, for some reason expect us to be better because the game, more or less, started here.
    Let’s just face facts..we are a average footballing side.

  • Comment posted by User0312188411, at 06:04 6 Oct 2017

    What dispirits me is when the Manager pushes the problems into the future. The problems are now. Top professional footballers who cant play as a team. Slovenia looked active going forward, England were pass it to the side, to the back, and stand still when not on the ball. As always with England, you look at the manager and coaching staff on the sideline, and see anxiety and dismay.

  • Comment posted by David Horton, at 07:32 6 Oct 2017

    Gareth Southgate "England remain a work in progress" and "won't become Spain in eight months"
    --

    says fans fifty-third choice for England manager, but FA's number one yes man.

  • Comment posted by User0625665638, at 01:40 6 Oct 2017

    I don't think anyone's making any unreasonable demands of playing like Spain, but something better than the polar opposite which was what that was would be nice. No disrespect to Slovenia but at 55th placed in the world rankings they're not great. We lacked any control, fluidity, all round technique, and quite frankly looked clueless for the best part of 90 minutes. And it's hardly a 1 off either.

  • Comment posted by User0477303112, at 04:51 6 Oct 2017

    I'd settle for becoming Iceland to be honest.

  • Comment posted by SpanishDave, at 00:43 6 Oct 2017

    "We won't become Spain in 8 months"?

    We won't become Spain while the money's in charge, the old men are in charge, sponsors are in charge and something every fan knows, Gareth, while you're in charge.

    It's just so inspiring watching England. . . Please make it stop.

  • Comment posted by Makatiblue, at 06:23 6 Oct 2017

    England wouldn't become as good as Spain if Southgate was given eight years to work on it; Spain produces better footballers.

  • Comment posted by DavetheWave, at 07:26 6 Oct 2017

    We won't become Wales in 8 months either.

  • Comment posted by Robert, at 09:02 6 Oct 2017

    The worst thing I can say about our national team is that I have lost all interest in watching it. Frankly we are boring the pants off everyone and are laughably bad at even the basics i.e. Sterling - he is technically awful and wouldn't get near a top side if he wasn't quick.

    Picking two holding midfielders is just ridiculous against anyone but the best sides and probably even then.

  • Comment posted by David Horton, at 08:08 6 Oct 2017

    This really pees me off.

    I'm sure that Southgate means well, but he isn't a good manager.

    The only good managers England have had since the 70s have fallen foul of the clapped out dinosaurs at the FA.

    So before we can expect any improvement in the National side, we need to kick out the people who CHOOSE the manager.

  • Comment posted by Jim Corrigan, at 07:43 6 Oct 2017

    England should wear the numbers on the front of their shirts.....so it looks like they're attacking!! Stuck in reverse gear??!!

  • Comment posted by JB, at 08:07 6 Oct 2017

    Last night was painful to watch. England have been a 'work in progress' since the so called 'golden generation' got us to the 1/4 finals of a couple of tournaments. We are no further ahead now than we were 4 years ago. Southgate is not the answer nor is anyone who insists on playing 2 holding midfielders against mediocre opposition

  • Comment posted by tablatom, at 07:39 6 Oct 2017

    Its VERY OBVIOUS.
    England is fantastic at many sports, the Olympics HELLO!?!?! Olympians are down to Earth SANELY paid athletes, that enjoy what they do.
    KILL the Premiership, PUT FOOTBALL BACK ON FREE TV. KILL SKY SPORTS. Axe the stupid football wages, make all English teams field 9 English players.
    Problem solved.
    Will this happen, can't see it.

  • Comment posted by scutterbob, at 07:43 6 Oct 2017

    I'm in my fifties and this has to be the worst England team/squad I can remember.

  • Comment posted by User0729754107, at 08:05 6 Oct 2017

    I retired from football 30 years ago but even now would show more fight and passion. What is wrong with the ball that it must be passes backwards as soon as it is received? Run with it, take people on. If you lose it chase back to retrieve it. Its not difficult. These guys get paid millions. Why? What are Dier and Henderson doing in the midfield? No creativity. Our game is a joke.

  • Comment posted by col68, at 06:40 6 Oct 2017

    One of the most uninspiring performances I've seen. It didn't look like they had ever trained with each other.
    how often did Stearling lose the ball? Why can't Dier pass it forward?
    I think the players believe their own hype and don't think they need to run and tackle.

  • Comment posted by User0533962236, at 08:17 6 Oct 2017

    No Gareth, but you've almost made us Andorra in 8 months. See ya.

  • Comment posted by User0231937954, at 07:29 6 Oct 2017

    I like Southgate. He's an intelligent and articulate man, and in many respects I can't understand what he's doing in football. He could have been a lawyer, for example.

    The trouble is, he's trying to herd a bunch of overpaid, underachieving, monolingual, monocultural, uneducated numpties.

    England will never be any good at football.

  • Comment posted by D1710753600696, at 07:40 6 Oct 2017

    Make that 8 months or even 800 years Gareth...........we are way behind the curve when comparing the leading football nations. That is obvious.

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