You’d think after the autopsy of the original ‘golden generation’ the FA would have learnt the lesson of hiring an average manager to a group of top quality players and the consequences of not choosing on merit.
Sven would have felt the severe pressure from English media of dropping those top players. That pressure isn’t the same anymore.
Despite the hype, the English media have nowhere near the influence today as they did when Beckham was their golden boy. And most importantly, fans I feel are less tribal around the England team specifically these days - back then it was a more hostile environment. Even the players from that era acknowledge they didn’t talk and were thinking of the games they had upcoming with each other. It was a more competitive league back then and the players were all competing for leagues and European cups with each other. You wouldn’t want to give an inch in that environment.
Southgate is buckling to media pressure that barely exists anymore by not dropping Kane. No one would really care that much.
Of course these days there are two distinct media's...Mainstream and Social and the hostile environment you mention was from a time when newspapers had enormous power and influence. That is all but gone. Social media now dominates and drives the public narrative. I can't remember a time when England's players were described as anything but "A Golden generation" it's a lazy label tagged on by a lazy press.
All sport is about winning and as England limped through this one and miraculously into the final....as late as yesterday afternoon Southgate was deemed as being on the verge of greatness. As long as they were still in it, most fans and commentators were prepared to suspend their criticism...football being a funny old game etc. Remember, though England didn't play well yesterday...they were still in it with 5 minutes to play, bizarrely they could have won it, and today's news would have been completely different.
As for Kane, he was shockingly off form throughout and it was clear to anyone that he wasn't contributing. But, could Southgate drop him...the Captain?...who scored 40+ goals last season...I'm not sure he could...he should have. It was a Ronaldo/Martinez situation with the profile of the player dominating...It's something we see a lot...even with us...How many times did Klopp leave an out of form Salah on the pitch last season?
Southgate was under pressure from the first fixture, but as they progressed that pressure slowly evaporated...but soon as you lose and you're out...It's back with a vengeance.
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