New England manager Gareth Southgate discusses his appointment on a four-year contract

Record ID: 75045

  • Title: New England manager Gareth Southgate discusses his appointment on a four-year contract
  • Date: 1st December 2016
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (DECEMBER 1, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** NEW ENGLAND MANAGER GARETH SOUTHGATE WALKS INTO PRESS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND MANAGER, SAYING: "It's a fantastic honour, a fantastic opportunity to help a young team develop over the next few years. I think we've seen over the last four matches where I've been in charge huge potential amongst the players. There's great expectations always that come with this job and I'm looking forward to embracing that and taking on that challenge. To get the job, as they say, is an honour, it's a great moment, but I'm really keen that the hard work starts now, I want to I want to do the job and be successful at doing the job. There's so much for me to look forward to over the next few years." PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND MANAGER, SAYING: "Well of course I've had a great insight over the last few weeks into what the job entails, every aspect of it. I don't think any job is impossible, like I said a few weeks ago some jobs are more difficult than others, some are more complex. This is certainly one of those, it has great interest for everybody and that comes with great responsibility but I'm ready to embrace that, I feel I've had that throughout my career in different roles I've been in and now is a great moment to step forward and help lead our country through what I think can be a really exciting period." JOURNALIST WITH LAPTOP COMPUTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND MANAGER, SAYING: "There is big potential in the squad but there is a lot of hard work ahead. Before Russia, well we've got to qualify for Russia, but we've got about 70 days together to prepare the team and get to the level we'd like to get to. We also have a group of players that I think over the next three or four years are going to develop a lot and we want to build that. So it's important not to look just at short term results but what we're like to do over the longer term, both with the senior team and the junior teams that are coming below." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND MANAGER, SAYING: "Well in the most simple terms I'd like an England team that excite the public. I'd like an England team that the supporters look forward to watching and ultimately that they are proud of, and if we achieve those two aims then we'll be on the right pathway." PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND MANAGER, SAYING: "Clearly the aim is to go beyond what we've done in the last couple, I've got that experience as a player and as a coach of tournament football, I know what that looks like. I think the players now have some more experience of what that feels like, and that's all part of the building process for improving as a team, performing in those pressure moments, developing that mental resilience and being able to perform against the very best." PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN GLENN, ENGLISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SAYING: "I think we need to be clear that we've committed, the chairman of the FA Greg Clarke has committed to, a full review shining a torchlight into what happened in the past in football. We have clear laws and rules in the game that need to be followed and if there's been any evidence of a breach of those, so hushing up would be one, subject to due process, the police need to be the right place in this, when it's our turn to apply the rules we absolutely will from top to bottom regardless of size of club." PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN GLENN, ENGLISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SAYING: "If there are restrictive contracts through employment law which prevent people from speaking out about a crime, we're talking about crimes here, then it must be dealt with. The crime needs to be clear, where do the police get involved and then where do the FA. But absolutely the only way that this gets dealt with is through openness and honesty and everybody exposing what has happened if those records exist." PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN GLENN, ENGLISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SAYING: "Let me be clear, we need to be effective and we need to take things extremely seriously which we do. And as I said before, we have the power that once we hear of wrongdoings we will deal with it, and so that is happening and that is the process you are describing. So as and when, in combination and cooperation with the police, because we can't afford to step in the way of police inquiries that may inhibit their effectiveness, we'll get it done. I think the FA is being proactive, taking a lead, taking it seriously." MEDIA END OF PRESS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 16th December 2016 12:12
  • Keywords: Soccer England Manager Southgate
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015B1YIPR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Gareth Southgate held his first press conference at Wembley on Thursday (December 1) since he was handed the onerous task of ending England's decades of under-achievement at major tournaments when he agreed a four-year deal to become national team manager.
    The 46-year-old former international defender had been in temporary charge since Sam Allardyce quit 67 days into his reign in September after becoming embroiled in a newspaper sting.
    Southgate, who played for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, impressed the FA during four matches as interim manager and was the overwhelming favourite to secure the job.
    "It's a fantastic honour, a fantastic opportunity to help a young team develop over the next few years. I think we've seen over the last four matches where I've been in charge huge potential amongst the players," Southgate told reporters.
    "There's great expectations always that come with this job and I'm looking forward to embracing that and taking on that challenge.
    "I don't think any job is impossible, like I said a few weeks ago some jobs are more difficult than others, some are more complex. This is certainly one of those, it has great interest for everybody and that comes with great responsibility but I'm ready to embrace that."
    The mild-mannered Southgate's first game as permanent manger will be away to Germany in a friendly in March before a home 2018 World Cup qualifier a few days later against Lithuania.
    England last won a major trophy when they lifted the World Cup at home under Alf Ramsey in 1966 and have not reached the semi-finals of a top international tournament since Euro '96.
    "The aim is to go beyond what we've done in the last couple, I've got that experience as a player and as a coach of tournament football, I know what that looks like. I think the players now have some more experience of what that feels like, and that's all part of the building process for improving as a team, performing in those pressure moments, developing that mental resilience and being able to perform against the very best," Southgate said.
    "I'd like an England team that excite the public. I'd like an England team that the supporters look forward to watching and ultimately that they are proud of, and if we achieve those two aims then we'll be on the right pathway."
    Southgate's mission will be to continue the good work he did at the-under 21s now he is in charge of the senior team.
    They are already in a good position to reach the World Cup, topping their group after four games with Southgate overseeing wins over Scotland and Malta and a draw with Slovenia.
    Reporters at the press conference took the opportunity to ask FA chief executive Martin Glenn questions about the internal review the organisation has launched to examine allegations of children being sexually abused at professional soccer clubs.
    "I think we need to be clear that we've committed, the chairman of the FA Greg Clarke has committed to, a full review shining a torchlight into what happened in the past in football," Glenn said.
    "We have clear laws and rules in the game that need to be followed and if there's been any evidence of a breach of those, so hushing up would be one, subject to due process, the police need to be the right place in this, when it's our turn to apply the rules we absolutely will from top to bottom regardless of size of club," Glenn said referring to speculation that some clubs had known about alleged offences but not acted upon the information.
    "If there are restrictive contracts through employment law which prevent people from speaking out about a crime, we're talking about crimes here, then it must be dealt with.
    "We need to be effective and we need to take things extremely seriously which we do.
    "I think the FA is being proactive, taking a lead, taking it seriously."
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