tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/gareth-southgate-55485/articlesGareth Southgate – The Conversation2023-11-01T11:35:18Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2164692023-11-01T11:35:18Z2023-11-01T11:35:18ZDear England: ‘feelgood’ Gareth Southgate play reviewed by a sports coaching expert<p><a href="https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/dear-england/">Dear England</a>, a play about football manager Gareth Southgate, immaculately encapsulates the light and dark sides of the game.</p>
<p>At the start of the play – which recently transferred to the Prince Edward Theatre – Southgate watches his earlier self <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pytk8d_yBTI">missing the crucial penalty against Germany</a> that sent the men’s England team crashing out of the Uefa Euro tournament in 1996. It’s an old wound that refuses to heal. </p>
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<p>The loss sparked <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iikWy2iwFeM">dejected England fans</a> to vandalise German cars, and <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/dear-england-prince-edward-theatre-review-joseph-fiennes/">burn Southgate effigies</a>. Despite his emotional baggage, circumstances thrust Southgate into the managerial role 20 years later. </p>
<p>The play shows how he selected a young, talented, multicultural squad. But also how he sensed that for them to survive the pressures of expectation, he needed to cultivate <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthew-Slater-3/publication/342530780_LEADERSHIP_AND_SOCIAL_IDENTITY/links/5efa0ea245851550507b2ffd/LEADERSHIP-AND-SOCIAL-IDENTITY.pdf">a supportive, collective culture</a> that transcended violent, racist, hyper-masculine football narratives.</p>
<h2>Sport on stage</h2>
<p>Portraying football on stage is tricky, but the superb staging – featuring a centre circle and a hovering illuminated halo intimating the iconic Wembley arch – provides an evocative setting. </p>
<p>Joseph Fiennes’s portrayal of Southgate is masterful, embodying his essence with nuanced mannerisms and timbre, without resorting to caricature. Southgate is portrayed as self-deprecating, an unlikely leader and a reluctant figurehead. Brought in to provide stability, he enacts revolutionary change.</p>
<p>Playwright James Graham’s script is witty. Harry Kane’s (Will Close) depiction as an awkward communicator with a curious voice steals the most laughs. This poignantly pays off later when the audience is humbled by listening to the character lamenting that people denigrate him for his vocal shortcomings. </p>
<p>Jordan Pickford’s (Josh Barrow) character adheres to the stereotype of the goalkeeper as a “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdqcCARcDDY">crazy man</a>”, but is amusingly endearing. A liberal amount of swearing had the audience creasing up, while epitomising the gritty underbelly of football. There was a broad range of famous character cameos, adding interest and jovial familiarity, but sometimes smacking of <a href="https://theconversation.com/spitting-image-the-puppet-satire-that-captured-thatchers-britain-107241">Spitting Image</a>.</p>
<h2>Southgate’s tactics</h2>
<p>The play also explores the existential crisis of what it means to be the England team. In an age of increasing societal division and inequality, who and what do the team want to be, and represent? </p>
<p>Southgate urges the players to contribute to the vision and take responsibility for co-constructing a modern football identity. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17430437.2020.1810021">Their challenge</a> is to move beyond the football superiority complex of the past, to forge a spirit of togetherness and belief.</p>
<p>Psychologist <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/21/meet-pippa-grange-doctor-helped-transform-england-football-team/">Pippa Grange</a> (Dervla Kirwan) is recruited to help players confront their fears and confide in one another about insecurities. Southgate displays much soul-searching in overcoming his own traumas, and in attempting to bind the group together. Grange’s character is almost a manifestation of Southgate’s consciousness, as he attempts to enact change in himself and others.</p>
<h2>Penalties in the play</h2>
<p>Penalties, the ultimate high-pressure football test, are a significant part of this drama, acting as a vehicle through which Southgate encourages the players to <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Fear_Less/NqGwDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Fear+Less:+How+to+Win+at+Life+Without+Losing+Yourself&printsec=frontcover">fear less</a> and to find strength and love in unity. </p>
<p>England broke their run of bad penalty shoot-out luck under Southgate in the 2018 World Cup. But they then lost the subsequent one in the Euro 2020 final, where Southgate’s decisions unintentionally exposed unsuccessful penalty takers Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/12/football/england-racist-abuse-bukayo-saka-jadon-sancho-marcus-rashford-euro-2020-final-spt-intl/index.html">to racist abuse</a>.</p>
<p>In Dear England, Southgate comes across as a quietly heroic, decent man, cultivating a culture where players are empowered to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029220301497">take the risks necessary</a> to achieve greatness. Ultimately, Southgate and England learn how to play with joy, lose with dignity, survive trauma and emerge in more meaningful roles. </p>
<p>For Southgate that means supporting others compassionately to achieve in the psychologically safe environment he did not experience himself. </p>
<p>We still lack the unwritten final act denouement, which for England managers is rarely satisfying. Euro 2024 is likely to be Southgate’s last tournament as national manager, but he will surely embrace the challenge, and try once more.</p>
<p>Fundamentally, Dear England is a feelgood play, as evidenced by the enthusiastic standing ovation, clapping and singing of Sweet Caroline at the performance I attended. Dear England exceeded my expectations, and its unusual fare might attract a non-traditional theatre audience to bravely shelve their doubts and with an open-heartedness, connect with a different story.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Turner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The play captures the light and dark sides of the beautiful game.David Turner, Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching, Anglia Ruskin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1966952022-12-20T18:56:57Z2022-12-20T18:56:57ZIs Gareth Southgate a successful manager? Two sports psychologists weigh in<p>Will they ever bring it home? Despite a general belief that England’s men’s football team performed well in the aftermath of their World Cup quarter final exit, inevitably questions are being asked about the team’s future hopes of success going forwards. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11529783/Gareth-Southgate-sacked-England-manager-latest-World-Cup-failure-against-France.html">Some</a> have suggested that the blame for England’s loss lies at manager Gareth Southgate’s door and believe he should be sacked. </p>
<p>Is it that simple? We can explore the question of whether Southgate has been a success issue by looking at his time as manager from a psychological perspective.</p>
<h2>Transformational leadership</h2>
<p>Up until now Southgate has received a lot of acclaim during his tenure as England manager. He has been commended for moves like transitioning older players like Wayne Rooney out of the team and introducing a wealth of young players like Bukayo Saka. </p>
<p>His handling of contentious issues has also been praised, such as his approach to encouraging <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/gareth-southgate-vaccination-under-30s-b1889788.html">COVID-19 vaccines in under 30s</a> and his support of players <a href="https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/praise-gareth-southgate-after-explains-20772363">taking the knee in response to racism</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1260/174795408785100581">Psychological theories and research</a> show that a good leader changes their approach depending on what sort of leader a team needs and wants. For example, some teams like their leaders to ask the views of the group, which in this case would mean that the manager asks players their views on tactics and playing style. If this happens the players will be more satisfied with their leader. </p>
<p>The support for Southgate to stay as manager that has come from both the most established players such as <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2022-12-10/william-proud-and-england-fans-gutted-as-penalty-miss-sends-three-lions-home">Harry Kane</a>, as well as squad members like <a href="https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/england-players-gareth-southgate-in-charge-after-2022-world-cup-2018633">Kieran Trippier</a> suggests that he is a success in this regard.</p>
<p>Closely linked to leadership, is the idea of team cohesion or their bond. The degree to which Southgate can be considered a <a href="https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apps.12342">transformational leader</a> – one who can inspire significant improvement in their team – is also dependent on how well he builds relationships and motivates England’s players to perform beyond their levels of expectations.</p>
<p>The praise Southgate has received <a href="https://www.football365.com/news/usa-manager-high-in-praise-of-southgate-and-predicts-difficult-game-against-england">inside</a> and outside football in relation to <a href="https://www.cityam.com/number-10-full-of-praise-for-compassionate-gareth-southgate/">his compassion</a> would suggest he possess transformational leadership qualities. Such an approach to leadership means that it is likely that England’s players <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2003/03/leadership">strongly identify with the team</a>. This in turn leads to successful performance.</p>
<p>However, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1016/j.smr.2011.12.003">research</a> also confirms that while supporting players is important, a good manager’s game plan and tactics remain key. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1059601110391251">A previous win or loss</a> can also impact cohesion as well as future performance. </p>
<p>Overall, <a href="https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apps.12342">studies</a> show that a successful manager needs a mixture of transformational leadership, cohesion and wins. So, England’s repeated inability to win tournaments could feasibly be related to Southgate not doing his job quite as well as he could. This means that while he can be considered a success in terms of the satisfaction of his players, he cannot in terms of performance alone.</p>
<h2>Removing stress</h2>
<p>A final consideration is that while the focus on Southgate’s record will centre around on-field success, it is important to consider some of the wider challenges he has had to face as England manager.</p>
<p>This includes the more political aspects he has to take on in recent years, including addressing racism and the <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/12743789/gareth-southgate-england-manager-says-it-is-highly-unlikely-they-will-not-speak-out-on-qatar-issues-at-world-cup#:%7E:text=Asked%20at%20England's%20squad%20announcement,I%20think%20that's%20highly%20unlikely.">human rights</a> record of World Cup host nation Qatar. </p>
<p>This reflects the modern, wide-ranging remit of the England manager’s role. Although not obviously linked to performance on the pitch, by taking responsibility for discussing these issues away from the players, it could be argued that Southgate has played an important role in removing stress from the group. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2020.1717302">Research shows</a> that sportspeople can view external events of this kind as threatening and ultimately detrimental to them achieving their goals. So Southgate’s ability to address these issues and defend his players may be particularly important in them achieving success. We saw this in 2021 <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12016/12354010/fa-condemns-racist-abuse-bukayo-saka-marcus-rashford-and-jadon-sancho-suffered-after-euro-2020-final">following the abuse suffered</a> by Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Saka after England’s Euro 2020 final defeat. </p>
<p>It is difficult to definitively say whether Southgate is a good manager. But he is a transformational leader who has supported his players and they obviously like him. However, he has not been able to see them through to a major win. </p>
<p>It seems like, for now at least, he will stay, despite some <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11555201/Jamie-Redknapp-questions-praise-bestowed-Gareth-Southgate-England.html">questioning this decision</a>. Hopefully, in the next big tournament he will be able to solidify his leadership with a win.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196695/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Should he stay or should he go now?James Newman, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Sheffield Hallam UniversityJames Rumbold, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Course Leader for MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology (BPS-Accredited), Sheffield Hallam UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1646042021-07-16T15:58:29Z2021-07-16T15:58:29ZEuro 2020 set England up for a strong World Cup in 2022<p>Following Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s save of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51198762">Bukayo Saka’s penalty</a> in the final moments of the Euro 2020 final, attention has been fiercely focused on the appalling and unacceptable <a href="https://theconversation.com/racism-in-sport-why-it-comes-to-the-surface-when-teams-lose-164413">racial abuse</a> of the England players. Rightly so: we should all stand together with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka, and the England team as they unite in an exemplary manner against all forms of racism.</p>
<p>I was very lucky to experience Euro 2020 at England’s games against Scotland, Germany, Denmark and Italy – all at Wembley. At the final, the behaviour of England fans was alarming. Countless fans were violent, engaged in illegal activity and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57799271">breached stadium gates</a>, leaving many people frightened and injured. These acts continue to take the limelight away from what has been an inspiring performance from the England team at Euro 2020. This England team win together and lose together and have provided all of the team’s supporters with memories that will last a lifetime. </p>
<p>As I stood in Wembley stadium, one of 40,000 fans, celebrating the goals going in against Germany in the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51198606">2-0 win</a>, that feeling of excitement and pride was bursting. The energy of the crowd, singing “football’s coming home”, or “Sweet Caroline” will forever give me goosebumps. That’s the feel-good factor this England team have delivered to thousands in the stadiums and to millions more across the country.</p>
<p>Remember it was only 13 years ago, in 2008, that England <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7103110.stm#:%7E:text=England%20failed%20to%20qualify%20for,Olic%20slipped%20in%20a%20second.">failed to qualify for the Euros</a>. But England has shone in the last two major tournaments: reaching the World Cup <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44706648">semi-finals in 2018</a> and the the final of a European Championship. England’s fans now have a team that is exciting, resilient and competitive when it matters. </p>
<h2>England’s evolution</h2>
<p>This does not happen by chance and has been carefully masterminded by the team’s manager, Gareth Southgate. A true gentleman and patriot, he has delivered an unforgettable month of football and entertaining media coverage. </p>
<p>Following on from Russia, England’s fans have been able to peek behind the scenes like never before, get to know and love the players and staff. Perhaps the most eye-catching image from this campaign has been <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/england-team-euros-pool-floats-unicorn-tiktok-b944792.html">Saka on the unicorn pool inflatable</a>. </p>
<p>Ex-England and Manchester United footballer Gary Neville has <a href="https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/euro-2020/2021/gary-neville-says-prime-minister-boris-johnson-and-gareth-southgate-poles-apart-when-it-comes-to-lea_sto8415335/story.shtml">said</a>: “Gareth, whether he has won or lost, talking about an incident like racism, talks with dignity, compassion and it connects with the people of this country”. England legends Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand were <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is7Re1O1YeQ">quick to attribute</a> the success of this England team to the culture, standards and staffing appointments Southgate has made during his management tenure. I believe Southgate just gets it and this was evident in his open letter before the tournament. He delivered on his promise of “<a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/dear-england-gareth-southgate-euros-soccer">a summer we can be proud of</a>”. </p>
<p>Some might argue the team could have been more attacking-minded with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane in the forward line. They could also suggest that Enlgand’s in possession game needs to improve before the World Cup in Qatar – England only had <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/19692/12351326/euro-2020-italy-vs-england-follow-live-in-play-action-and-stats">34.6% possession in the final</a>. </p>
<p>But the facts remain. Out of 24 teams at the Euros there can only be one winner, and England played seven matches, two of which went into extra time, yet the team remained undefeated until the lottery of penalties in the final. With 11 goals scored from five different players and only two goals conceded, England were history makers by going five games in the tournament without conceding a goal.</p>
<h2>Much to be proud of</h2>
<p>There are many aspects of England’s Euros journey that should celebrated and continue to be highlighted. On the pitch, Jordan Pickford’s goalkeeping charisma, highest amount of clean sheets (five games without conceding a goal) and not to mention those penalty saves won the fans over. </p>
<p>Despite some early concerns with Sterling’s form and Harry Maguire’s injury, both players deservedly made it into the official Euro 2020 team as wide forward and left centreback respectively, alongside the formidable right fullback Kyle Walker. Left fullback Luke Shaw’s performances at Euro 2020 have been excellent, with even ex-manager Jose Mourinho – who had publicly been critical of him in the past – <a href="https://www.eurosport.com/football/euro-2020/2021/euro-2020-playing-better-and-better-jose-mourinho-praised-luke-shaw-after-england-reached-the-semi-f_sto8404657/story.shtml">commenting</a> on “Shaw’s amazing tournament”. His goal at the final, his first for the country, was the fastest ever scored at a European Championship final.</p>
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<p>The relatively unknown Kalvin Phillips, at international level, has been accepted with his battling midfield performances, ball recoveries and <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12331862/kalvin-phillips-impressed-for-england-against-croatia-in-a-more-attacking-role-that-showed-the-depth-of-his-talent">goal assist against Croatia</a>. Phillips’ total distance covered of <a href="https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/026b-12b6f731e3f6-06ff9cab6bb0-1000--euro-s-fastest-and-most-tireless/">82.99km</a> in the tournament was second only to Italy’s Jorginho’s (86.61km).</p>
<p>It’s not just Phillips’ on-pitch performances that have taken the plaudits: he was also the first player to console Saka after the penalty. He kissed his runner-up medal and stood on and applauded Italy as they lifted the trophy. This gesture warmed the nation’s hearts as a display that embodies what this England team are about: compassion and class.</p>
<p>The last month the people in this England team have perhaps most importantly helped to spread joy after a very difficult pandemic. I am left with a feeling of hope, pride and enthusiasm to see England compete in the Qatar World Cup in 2022. This group continues to take steps forward to “bring it home” – and often the last step is the biggest.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164604/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Sawiuk does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Euro 2020 was full of successes for this team, we shouldn’t forget that.Rebecca Sawiuk, Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching, University of HertfordshireLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1641982021-07-09T13:07:32Z2021-07-09T13:07:32ZGareth Southgate: football management as a team sport<p>Over the course of England’s journey to the Euro 2020 final, one of the most fascinating plays has been happening just off the pitch. Whenever the TV camera cuts to the team’s manager Gareth Southgate, he is occasionally seen standing alone on the edge of the field, urging his team on. </p>
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<p>But most of the time he is deep in conversation with his assistant Steve Holland. It is regular proof of how Southgate approaches key decisions and planning.</p>
<p>Those plans, and England’s progress in the competition, have led to Southgate’s style of management and leadership being widely celebrated. Some point out his supportive approach to players, his focus on creating a positive atmosphere, and his <a href="https://theconversation.com/gareth-southgate-what-football-and-business-can-learn-from-englands-manager-163292">willingness to listen</a>. </p>
<p>He has also <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-57698821">been praised</a> for drawing on knowledge and experience from outside the world of football. Others highlight his own experiences as a player, and indeed, research does suggest that on the whole, it is ex-players who tend to make the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092753711000103X?casa_token=RVnd6k8mWKUAAAAA:pVL07unygGHftJzCYldOVB1eoAhgG6uDd7u9rwdcAKXFaH0V1Ac2KW4Utuh6b0y80sjnQZ0fcw">better football managers</a>.</p>
<p>Another interesting aspect is that Southgate treats management itself as a team sport. Instead of being the sole authority figure, he is part of a larger team of decision makers, all of whom have an influence on the squad of players.</p>
<p>Southgate is far from alone in this approach. Most major sports teams now involve a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nfl-expansion-with-no-salary-cap-on-coaches-coaching-staff-sizes-know-no-limits">large team</a> of managers and assistants and a similar kind of expansion has become apparent in <a href="http://conference.iza.org/conference_files/Leadership_2012/guadalupe_m874.pdf">the business world</a> too. </p>
<p>Sometimes this increasingly large cadre of managers serves primarily to shield a leader from the harsh winds of reality and external criticism. But good leaders use their management teams as a way to expand the availability of skills and perspectives. Indeed, Southgate has used his as a way of bringing in a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jul/06/gareth-southgate-england-backroom-staff-euro-2020">wide range</a> of expertise in areas including tactics, physical performance and nutrition.</p>
<p>Southgate also practises what is known as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984308001021?casa_token=IJxLZx4ChYMAAAAA:R2dHoCFS-jCtdaezShHsZXbFO5KW4koYNFWhna6xnhddfTBbeduksIZYzJRWP6i-Enb4jUdtUA">“shared”</a> or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00306.x">“distributed”</a> leadership. This is when the responsibility of managing and directing a team is not heaped on the shoulders of a single individual. Instead, it is shared around, distributed between the wider management team and also among the players. </p>
<p>Research has found that patterns of shared leadership are quite <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378873315000295?casa_token=EtlBN1x-U6QAAAAA:RwektW85S8l9KY-a9hOzi7gKvpyMu0LGJG1wh2VOCILaVShKBySPhZyKXVzrjbAExYAsvrKgAA">common in sports teams</a>. And outside of sport, it also seems that teams which share leadership and decision making <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amj.2007.20159921">tend to perform better</a>. </p>
<h2>Team goals</h2>
<p>In some large firms, rather than leadership being vested in a single managing partner, it is often distributed among a group of highly influential people. Recent research has found that <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0170840619844291">collective leadership is vital</a> in driving large scale and change in these organisations. </p>
<p>Southgate’s approach to leadership reflects wider changes within football and society. A <a href="https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/7158/9/BiggerThanOurselvesTheSouthgateNarrativeAndTheSearchForASenseOfCommonPurposeSV-LONG.pdf">recent study</a> of English football culture points to a shift away from what the authors term “Beckhamisation”, after the former England captain and Manchester United star player David Beckham – a popular and instantly recognisable symbol of that period of football history (though, it is not suggested the culture was his creation). </p>
<p>During the 1990s, the study claims, this “Beckhamisation” saw high octane management practices imported from the corporate world into football. Individual talent was highly valued, generously rewarded and strictly managed – but this celebration and focus eventually bred a culture of toxic individualism. </p>
<p>In recent years, this has been replaced by “Southgatism”, a leadership style which that study describes as “modest, self-deprecating, down to earth, diverse and progressive”.</p>
<p>Southgate’s style of leadership (and perhaps future success) is likely to remain the subject of much discussion. Like many iconic leaders, he will be widely imitated, so expect to see plenty of middle managers showing up to work wearing waist coats and thin ties. But hopefully, they will also seek to copy his serious approach to shared leadership and collective responsibility.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164198/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andre Spicer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A democratic approach to skills, expertise and responsibility have raised England’s game.Andre Spicer, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Cass Business School, City, University of LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1632922021-06-25T14:19:23Z2021-06-25T14:19:23ZGareth Southgate: what football (and business) can learn from England’s manager<p>Gareth Southgate could yet become the most successful ever manager of the men’s English football team. With a record so far of 36 wins and 11 draws from his 57 games in charge, he <a href="https://www.myfootballfacts.com/england_footy/england_national_football_team/england-managers/#:%7E:text=England%20Manager%20Records%20Summary%20%20%20%20MANAGER,Cup%20Winner%201966%20%2025%20more%20rows%20">ranks higher</a> than almost all of his predecessors. </p>
<p>All that’s really missing in his record is a major tournament win – with only Sir Alf Ramsey, in 1966, having gone one better than Southgate’s semi-final appearance in the 2018 World Cup. </p>
<p>And while some fans <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/01/gareth-southgate-might-not-be-what-we-want-but-he-is-what-england-need">remain critical</a>, Southgate’s players appear to be genuine and unanimous in their support. Midfielder Phil Foden, who at 21 is a three time Premier League winner with Manchester City and an England under-17s World Cup winner in 2017 has <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/foden-southgate-critics-dont-know-what-theyre-talking-about/ar-AALgvoe">said of his national team boss</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>He is a great coach – working with him every day you get to see what he is like. He always has the players’ backs and I believe that his tactics are great so all these negative people don’t know what they are talking about.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Southgate has enjoyed <a href="https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/10659231/england-players-back-southgate/more/2">similar backing</a> from other players since 2016, when he won two and drew two of his four games in temporary charge. And the English Football Association, aware of his previous work with the England under-21s, appeared to listen to (and agree with) the players, awarding Southgate a four year contract. This was <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/southgate-signs-england-extension-through-to-2022-world-cup/gr3caxgvk8v116xr64podc71l">later extended</a> to the next FIFA World Cup in 2022, making him one of England’s <a href="https://www.90min.com/posts/the-longest-serving-international-managers-in-europe">longest serving managers</a> and one of the longest serving in world football.</p>
<p>Southgate himself <a href="https://thebootroom.thefa.com/resources/interviews/gareth-southgate/my-coaching-approach">has said</a> his coaching style focuses on the person before the footballer, involves regular communication, listening more than speaking, and empowering his players to make key decisions. As such, his approach appears to be in line with “<a href="https://empoweringcoaching.co.uk/">empowering coaching</a>”, a concept developed by motivation expert <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/sport-exercise/staff/profile.aspx?ReferenceId=9233">Joan Duda</a>. </p>
<p>Based on many <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/sport-exercise/research/showcase/papa-project.aspx">years of research</a>, empowering coaching involves a sharing of control between a leader and their team. It encourages both individual and team thinking, personal responsibility, freedom to choose, two-way communication, and a focus on self improvement. </p>
<p>Get most of these things right, the theory goes, and the results will look after themselves. In both sport and business a key focus is a happier, more autonomous and better motivated workforce. At the time of writing, it certainly seems to be working for Southgate.</p>
<h2>Shared goals</h2>
<p>Empowering coaching appears to share similarities with “<a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-transformational-leadership-2795313">transformational leadership</a>”, a leadership style which allows team members to work with their leader or manager to help to achieve goals, and requires personal qualities from the leader such as care, trust and support. Southgate’s <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/dear-england-gareth-southgate-euros-soccer">open letter</a> to fans including a call for togetherness ahead of the Euro 2020 tournament certainly gives the impression that this is his style. </p>
<p>Such an approach appears to be in stark contrast to some extremely successful football managers of recent decades including Sir Alex Ferguson and the self-proclaimed “special one”, Jose Mourinho. Ferguson <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/sir-alex-ferguson-autobiography-what-really-happened-dressing-room-between-me-flying-boot-and-david-beckham-8897245.html">famously kicked</a> a stray boot in the Manchester United changing room following an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal that left David Beckham needing stitches above his eye. He was also well known for his “hairdryer” treatment, which involved shouting in player’s faces if they were deemed to be under performing. </p>
<p>Mourinho was perhaps a little more subtle in demonstrating his power, accused of ridiculing players in the media or forcing them to train with the reserves or junior sides, as was reportedly the case <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/luke-shaw-jose-mourinho-england-24378886">with Luke Shaw</a>, now an England regular.</p>
<p>But the world is a different place in 2021, and approaches to leadership and management have moved on. The days of bawling football managers and business leaders publicly and openly shouting down their players or employees may be becoming a thing of the past. </p>
<p>Whether Southgate’s more modern approach leads to a major tournament trophy for England remains to be seen of course. But his management style, driven by growing knowledge in motivation and performance, will hopefully become the norm – not just in football, but in other sports and across the world of work. And that would count as a very big win indeed.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163292/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pete Holmes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two way communication and trust are key.Pete Holmes, Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1146452019-04-01T14:00:12Z2019-04-01T14:00:12ZEngland’s Premier League homegrown talent problem: why it’s time to introduce equivalent of Barcelona B<p>England’s impressive Euro 2020 qualifier victories have confirmed that the country is having a great moment in football. The Lions were unusually confident in both matches, putting five goals past both the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47675815">Czech Republic</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47606892">Montenegro</a>. Young English players are also in high demand outside the UK right now: Borussia Dortmund are <a href="https://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2019/03/27/5c9bee64e5fdea06568b4578.html">battling</a> to hang on to Jadon Sancho after an eye-catching first full season in the German Bundesliga, while Bayern Munich are among the European clubs <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47752185">trying to</a> lure his England teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea. </p>
<p>These are signs that England’s youth academies are delivering after years of struggling to catch up with continental rivals, while Sancho’s success at Dortmund is a reminder that English players don’t always have to break into the Premier League to make it to the top. Yet as <a href="http://www.football-observatory.com">this recent report</a> confirms, England still lacks homegrown talent in its top league. This prevents young players from hitting the big time, and it’s getting worse. </p>
<p>Players that grew up in the UK contributed just 35% of playing time in this season’s Premier League, down from 40% in 2009-10. Their proportion of goals fell from 39% to 31%, while player contributions from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are now barely in single percentage figures. England manager Gareth Southgate has raised concerns about this on numerous occasions since his team <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-emotional-intelligence-helped-take-a-young-england-team-to-the-brink-of-a-world-cup-final-99792">finished fourth</a> in the Russia World Cup last summer. He <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/03/gareth-southgate-condemns-shortage-england-players-premier-league">argues</a> that the lack of first-team football for many of the country’s brightest prospects is narrowing his selection options. </p>
<p>In fact, this is not entirely an English problem. There <a href="http://www.football-observatory.com">has been</a> a steady increase in expat players across Europe’s top divisions, rising from 35% to 40% between 2009 and 2018. Other national coaches, such as Italy’s Roberto Mancini, <a href="https://www.football-italia.net/127496/mancini-not-enough-italians">have voiced</a> concerns, too. Of the major leagues, however, the English Premier League is the most expat of all: 59% compared to Italy’s 54%, Germany’s 49%, Spain’s 39% and France’s 36%. </p>
<h2>The Premier League problem</h2>
<p>The Premier League’s success since its 1992 inception has certainly made it harder for young homegrown players to transition to first-team football at the highest level. In such a competitive league, where clubs have huge funds, managers and football directors always want the best possible “ready to use” talent from around the world. </p>
<p>English membership of the EU single market – we’ll see <a href="https://talksport.com/football/518692/latest-liverpool-champions-chelsea-relegated-hard-brexit-premier-league/">what happens</a> after Brexit – makes it particularly easy to get players from Europe. And with so many continental managers at Premier League clubs working under enormous pressure, it’s only reasonable they sign players they know well. </p>
<p>Southgate for one is not convinced it’s a simple quality problem. As he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/03/gareth-southgate-condemns-shortage-england-players-premier-league">put it</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Nobody can tell me that, if [English] players are good enough, they will come through. That is not true. There are plenty of players who are good enough.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If so, we must ask what else could be done to boost the chances of aspiring Lions. One major difference between England and certain continental countries is there are no “B” teams of major clubs in lower divisions. In Spain, Portugal, Germany and Ukraine, this makes it easier to integrate young players into a club’s top team. Italy is now trying this too, with <a href="https://www.football-italia.net/126568/juventus-b-make-competitive-debut">Juventus B launching</a> in the country’s third tier, Serie C, this season. </p>
<p>Unlike the reserve teams or under-23 teams common in England, B teams arguably give young players more playing time at a higher competitive level. There are also advantages over England’s system of loaning out players to lesser clubs or of using <a href="https://www.90min.com/posts/5133780-7-premier-league-teams-that-have-established-and-used-feeder-club-relationships">feeder clubs</a> in the way that Liverpool takes players from Genk of Belgium, or Chelsea from Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands: being part of the same club structure and training in the same environment arguably allows for enhanced internal mobility and increases the chances for opportunities in the first team. </p>
<p>The potential of B teams also extends to managers: after a difficult start to the season, Benfica replaced Rui Vitoria with B team manager Bruno Lage. Legends like Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola also developed their coaching skills in these secondary set ups, previously managing Real Madrid Castilla and Barcelona B respectively – indeed, Guardiola himself <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/01/20/manchester-city-manager-pep-guardiola-calls-premier-league-b/">has made</a> the case for B teams in England in the past. </p>
<h2>The Portuguese experience</h2>
<p>Portugal seems the most visible success story with B teams to date. In 2012, the Primeira Liga clubs were invited to create secondary teams that would be directly entered into the country’s second tier, Ledman Liga Pro, but wouldn’t be eligible for promotion. Porto, Benfica, Sporting, Braga, Vitória SC and Maritimo all took this up. </p>
<p>A recent report by the Portuguese League revealed that nine out of the 23 Portugal players that became European champions at Euro 2016 in France played for their club’s B team as part of their transition into first-team football. Even more noticeably, 20 of the 21 Portuguese players that made the quarter finals in the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40237981">2017 Under-20 World Cup</a> in South Korea were playing for a B team. It’s also having a big effect in club football: for example, Benfica’s recent 3-0 Europa League victory against Dinamo Zagreb included five players who were in their B team last season. </p>
<p>Introducing this system to England is not without risks. Take <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45643965">FIFA’s plan</a> to limit the number of players clubs can send out on loan each season to between six and eight: richer clubs may use B teams as an instrument to bypass this new rule. There is a wider danger that other parts of the football ecosystem will suffer if B teams allow major clubs to become even more self-contained. </p>
<p>Critics of this system have also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/26/pep-guardiola-reserve-teams-championship-spain">made the point</a> that B teams in Portugal and elsewhere can struggle to compete, but that loses sight of the main goal of helping younger players reach the top.
On the whole, the B team system looks like a valuable and growing part of international football that England should think seriously about adopting – especially at a time when Brexit and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29361839">UEFA’s Financial Fair Play</a> restrictions will be making clubs reconsider their future options. </p>
<p>Southgate <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/03/gareth-southgate-condemns-shortage-england-players-premier-league">has said</a> that where so many of the things that used to be wrong with English football have now been put right, the proportion of homegrown players in the Premier League “is just the missing piece”. If the likes of Manchester City B and Liverpool B were taking part in lower-league fixtures week in week out, this puzzle might finally be completed.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114645/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maurizio Valenti has received research funding from UEFA and official support from the Italian and Scottish football associations for a project on women’s football. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Francisco Fardilha does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>England’s national team are playing a blinder. Here’s how they take it to the next level.Francisco Fardilha, Doctoral Researcher and Associate Fellow, University of StirlingMaurizio Valenti, Doctoral Researcher in Sport, University of StirlingLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/984212018-06-20T12:56:27Z2018-06-20T12:56:27ZHow to build a winning team spirit at the World Cup<p>Playing at the <a href="https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/">FIFA World Cup</a>, the biggest international football tournament, is considered to be the pinnacle of a footballer’s career. Individual players are usually the first to be mentioned by pundits, commentators and fans when discussing teams at the event. But rather than individual brilliance it is often the collective dynamics that determines how a team performs on the world’s greatest stage. </p>
<p>Spain, one of the favourites to win the 2018 World Cup, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44467548">sacked their manager</a> just two days before their first match. The impact of this on Spain’s performance is yet to be fully determined – although they put in a great performance in their first game against Portugal. </p>
<p>The timing of the decision by the Spanish football federation is certainly questionable. The impact of poor team dynamics was seen at the 2010 World Cup with the French national team. The squad was in disarray, with a key player being sent home in the early stages of the tournament resulting in a bust-up and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/20/france-raymond-domenech-nicolas-anelka">team refusing to train</a>. Despite high expectations and brilliant individual players, France were knocked out during the group stages. </p>
<p>How players and coaches collectively withstand pressure – the notion of team resilience – is a hallmark of great teams. We recently investigated the concept of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X16302238#!">team resilience in an elite sport context</a>.</p>
<p>In one study, we looked specifically at the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029214001149">England Rugby Union World Cup-winning team</a> of 2003. Our findings revealed five main processes underpinning team resilience: transformational leadership (inspiring team members’ commitment to their shared vision despite setbacks), shared team leadership (a wide distribution of team members’ responsibilities), team learning (sharing knowledge of setbacks), social identity (developing a distinctive team identity), and positive emotions (promoting humour despite setbacks).</p>
<p>Interestingly, these features of team resilience can be seen in the current England World Cup football team. As manager, in comparison to his predecessors, Gareth Southgate has shown calm leadership on and off the pitch, clarity of thinking and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44402945">flexibility under pressure</a>. </p>
<p>There is a genuine sense of togetherness in the team. Everyone appears to get along with one another, no matter what domestic club they play for. This is a marked improvement on previous England squads, especially the so-called “Golden Generation” in which club rivalries are reported to have <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRdbUfcBPZw">created separate cliques</a>. </p>
<p>This strong sense of identity in the current England squad is reinforced by the fact that a lot of the team have played together (successfully) in the younger age groups. This is a similar approach to the one used by the German national team (2014 World Cup winners). They invested heavily in their youth set-up, both domestically and nationally, by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/23/germany-bust-boom-talent">developing home grown players</a>.</p>
<h2>Psychological safety</h2>
<p>Another important feature of team resilience that has emerged from our work is the notion of <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2307/2666999">psychological safety</a> – where team members feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. This has been <a href="https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/five-keys-to-a-successful-google-team/">identified by tech giant Google</a> as one of the most important qualities of high-performing teams in any sphere. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0MPboP6ci1E?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p>Creating a psychologically safe environment is very much the philosophy of Southgate’s leadership. This is nicely illustrated in an <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44414026">interview</a> after England earned a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in their final World Cup warm-up match. Praising the performance of Marcus Rashford, he said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I wanted him, like all the others, to be making mistakes because if they are making mistakes then they are trying things. And for me, all of our players, if they want to try and be as good as they can be, have got to try things. And we have to accept that that might mean that there’s the odd failure but what you then maybe get is the odd moment like he has produced tonight which is “wow”.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So while his predecessors may have been crippled by previous tournament disappointments, Southgate has fostered an air of positivity and developed a squad not scarred by previous failures. </p>
<p>A key overarching message is that the quality of relationships is critical for team resilience. This has been seen in the past, when team preparation has been disrupted before and during the World Cup (as in the French squad). Equally, relationships can galvanise teams when they are positive. Former England and Chelsea full-back Graeme Le Saux believes good relationships between players are <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44373300">“fundamental” to any potential success</a>. Le Saux, who earned 36 caps for England, said recently:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>One of the things that has impressed me is the togetherness of the England squad … When you look at this England squad, we have some exciting players, we lack a bit of experience, but equally important for me and more fundamental is the environment that is created and that relationship between the players. That can help build the type of resilience to get through some hard moments on the pitch.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Le Saux’s assessment is similar to the conclusions we reached in an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029213000058">earlier study in this area</a>. Team resilience rests fundamentally on relationships within the squad. </p>
<p>Successful teams such as the <a href="https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/germany-world-cup-2014-where-are-they-now-neuer-ozil-thomas-muller-480162.jsp">2014 World Cup-winning German squad</a> have a strong sense of unity. This is characterised by deep emotional bonds that often come from playing together for a significant period of time. And it is these high-quality relationships which will be crucial for any team seeking to excel during a major tournament. </p>
<hr>
<p><em>More evidence-based articles about football and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/world-cup-2018-11490?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=WorldCup2018">World Cup</a>:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/does-spending-big-in-the-football-transfer-window-get-results-two-experts-crunch-the-data-89184?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=WorldCup2018">Does spending big in the football transfer window get results? Two experts crunch the data</a></em></p></li>
<li><p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-football-teams-who-sing-their-national-anthem-with-passion-are-more-likely-to-win-96765?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=WorldCup2018">Why football teams who sing their national anthem with passion are more likely to win</a></em></p></li>
<li><p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-mohamed-salah-effect-is-real-my-research-shows-how-he-inspires-egyptian-youth-97220?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=WorldCup2018">The ‘Mohamed Salah Effect’ is real – my research shows how he inspires Egyptian youth</a></em></p></li>
</ul><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/98421/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mustafa Sarkar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Sporting success depends on strong squad bonds.Mustafa Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.