4 reasons why Gareth Southgate's new contract is great news for England

#4 He’s hugely popular with the fans

Southgate is massively popular with the fans - rare when it comes to England managers

One of the most memorable parts of England’s World Cup run this summer was the massive popularity that Southgate gained with the fans – both those who travelled to Russia and those watching at home. Fans of the Three Lions were entranced by his passion, commitment and likeability, and famously, even his fashion style began to catch on – culminating in ‘Waistcoat Wednesday’ on the day of the semi-final clash with Croatia.

While prior England bosses have been popular at times – Sven-Goran Eriksson after the 5-1 victory over Germany, for instance, was widely beloved – the Three Lions haven’t had a universally beloved manager since Terry Venables in 1996. And unlike with Venables, the FA has managed to capitalise on that by tying Southgate down to a long-term deal.

The fact that Southgate is so popular also helps in another way – his popularity should give him a longer leash with the fans if England do begin to struggle at any point in the future. Where it felt like Eriksson and Roy Hodgson were only ever one bad result away from the brink, Southgate didn’t appear to lose any momentum with September’s loss to Spain. That’s because the fans believe in him and they believe in what he’s trying to build.

If the FA had somehow turned the deal with Southgate sour – if they’d waited until the outcome of Euro 2020 to offer him a new contract, for instance – they risked losing their most popular manager in 20 years. Thankfully this new contract means he won’t be going anywhere – and England fans can continue to have reason to be optimistic.