Welcome to The Athletic FC’s YouTube channel, where best-in-class journalism meets video.
After a historically poor season and with new leadership in charge, many fans might be wondering if Erik ten Hag’s time has come to an end.
If so, one of the interesting names that has emerged in this hypothetical scenario is England’s very own Gareth Southgate.
Famous for turning a toxic England team into a lovable bunch and reaching the Euro 2020 Final, is Southgate the right man for a new era at Manchester United?
#manchesterunited #premierleague #england
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:12 David Ornstein on Southgate
01:05 Why Southgate?
07:27 International vs Domestic Football
08:57 Tactically Concerning?
11:53 Expectations for Manchester United Football Club
15:56 Can Southgate make the jump?
17:43 Should Kobbie Mainoo start in Euro 2024?
22:56 Dan Ashworth
26:04 What about Thomas Frank?
29:01 Does Gareth Southgate make sense?
30:24 One last bit of news from David Ornstein
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Music sourced from Epidemic Sound
Additional footage sourced from AP Newsroom

49 Comments
If the Athletic thinks I'm about to listen to 30 minutes of a gentleman suffering from Downe's Syndrome talk about football topics, they are sorely mistaken.
No.
Mainoo is 6ft tall lmao
People seem to think England have good players 😂 we couldn't even win wgen we had tge players called tge golden generation and they were all better than what we have now and he's done better then any manager apart from obe for England and lost a tournament because millionaire professionals couldn't score a penalty and they couldn't blame being tired could they!
Real Madrid have the majority of the ball in most games they play. Man United play 28 games a season against non "Big 6" teams. Being able to consistently beat the "others" is how the key to winning any league.
Them having Rashford, Maguire and Shaw and Southgate being able to get a tune out of them has to be a factor in this but I can't see it personally
With all my heart, no! I'd rather Ten Hag stay than have Southgate.
PS, the end of the vid left me laughing. Is poor David still waiting to come on the podcast?! You divils you!
Who's paying y'all to push this narrative?
He's not 175 cm he said himself that he's 182
Real Madrid have put in a historic season and can potentially end the league on 99 points for Jon MacKenzie to say "they've largely won because of Barcelona have dropped off". Statistically the best defense in Real Madrid's history if I'm not mistaken. Does Jon really think they've managed to get that insane number of points and lose one game all season by just being good in transition? Madrid have dominated 90% of the league games and have deserved each and every win they got, but a bunch of guys on youtube will think they win games by playing with a low block and praying they don't concede just cause they did it against man city. 60% average possession in laliga btw.
why wasn't Joe in the thumbnail? i would have watched this sooner.
3:30
JJB: Southgate was made permanent, or he was made the permanent manager I should say, because he was real before then
JD: he was permanent already
JJB: he was already there
JD: well in a sense we are all temporary
JJB: in a way, that’s true actually
No other double act in football coverage can do what these guys do when they’re together 😂
No…
Damn JJ … Say my name with that shirt 😂
"A couple of very boring teams have won a couple of tournaments" is such an amazing insight.
"Toxicity" is only an issue when you aren't winning. If Ten Haag was getting results, it would all be rosy.
The "graphic" is probably the most "I made a powerpoint slide for work" I have ever seen.
I like how they are basically saying international football is terrible and all managers do is sit deep and wait until pens. Terrible product to watch. If you are trying to convince non football fans to watch the sport don’t let them watch international games
No
Please, Gods of Football: Get Southgate to Man Utd, I implore you.
This is my favourite series on youtube right now
Why not Trent as the 3rd midfielder? Have him drift wider in late build up and have sake drift in?
Some real disinformation in the comments here. Clearly, Kobee Mainoo is 6'8
The average ManU fan will simply not understand a decision to appoint Southgate as manager.
Fans will point to footballing reasons…like Southgate's failure to deliver major trophies as England manager with a talented squad…and his less than amazing record in club management beforehand.
What these fans have failed to understand over the last decade and more of ManU failure is that a 'good coach' isnt going to make a jot of difference to their club.
What ManU need is a complete overhaul of their management structure…which has been awful.
This is beginning to happen under Jim Ratcliffe…and this structure needs a manager that understands the overall plan to develop the club.
This plan will involve – in the short term;
1. Getting rid of a lot of players that are not good enough but also overpaid.
2. Improving the performances of the English ManU players…like Maguire, Shaw, Mainoo, Rashford and Sancho.
3. Dealing with the press and not being bothered by the fans negativity
4. Working under the management team's longer term plan
Very few managers would be able to do this…but Southgate can.
If ManU finish top 6 under Southgate then it will be a bonus…otherwise Southgate can work within the overall commercial structure of the club to deliver stability in the dressing room whilst finishing as low as 10th in the league.
Once the overall structure of the footballing side of the club has been established…THEN ManU will need a top manager and will hire one knowing that they can explain the organisational structure within the club without many issues.
Started dozing off right before Kobbie Mainoo broke through my wall. 17:51 terrifying, I ought to know better than to watch these before bed and allow Joe the chance into my nightmares
Mainoo is not good enough to make the squad let alone be starting for England he is poor defensively and has got no pace or legs to cover the midfield that is why Man utd midfield is so poor and porous every single match he plays for Man utd and he is just a hype player and hype players have no drive and energy needed for a successful England squad. And this love in for Mainoo on this show is absolutely ridiculous and a shame
Southgate dropped Rooney, yes, but EtH was also tough & dropped Ronaldo & Maguire
I don't know why he is highly rated. He is slightly better than Klinsmann.
No
As an Arsenal fan I approve of Southgate to Yanited.
No
It’s not at all the focus of the video but that comment downplaying real madrids success is really silly. They aren’t winning just because Barca have fallen off, Real Madrid are on 93 points with two games remaining, they are on course to get one of the highest points totals in the leagues history, you would have to go back to the 17/18 season to find a team that can match their current points total, and again that’s with TWO GAMES REMAINING. Their defense has been by far the best in the league while still having the best attack in the league. Dismissing the best counterattacking team in the world’s success by saying Barca sucked so it doesn’t count is just insane.
Did JJ say apropos of Man United? TIFO so intellectual these days! Great to see you all together. Hopefully it's not as temporary as Joe believes all things in life are.
I don't even have to watch to tell you that Southgate (Mr ready salted crisps) isn't the man for the job
According to Rooney he told Southgate to not pick him because he wasn't a starter at utd. It didn't make sense that he would captain England while unable to break into the starting 11 at club level. It wasn't a ruthless/authoritative decision by Southgate 😂
The propaganda is unbelievable… Rooney literally told Southgate to stop picking him.
Banter club
15:17–15:23 I'm sorry but what? 1 loss in the league, most clean sheets in Real Madrid's history, 90+ points, on course for the second highest points total in LaLiga history, fewest goals conceded, 30-game unbeaten streak… I can go on and on about how absolutely HISTORIC this season has been for a LaLiga team, let alone Real Madrid. For you to say that our league victory has been "largely" due to Barca's falling off is honestly objectively untrue and a very poor take (I expect more from such knowledgeable people).
This has literally been one of the best LaLiga campaigns of ALL time. You cannot discredit Madrid's win by saying it is "largely" because of Barca being sub par.
Edit: Yes, I liked my own comment.
Southgate will never be a United manager. He’s not even qualified to manage westham.
No just no! He has got no credibility to sit on United’s bench.
very unpleasent to get your ears blasted off by someone bumping his hand into microphone multiple times. You should have done something about that.
no. how is this a 30min video or even a discussion?
Ineos will make a better decision than that. Southgate to Man Utd women makes more sense. I expect Pep or McKenna to take over from Southgate after he fluffs the Euros again.
3. Southgate has definitely not stuck to his principles at all. Just look at his squad selections ffs.
Ornstein tells you hes not being considered and you STILL talked about it for half an hour?
Listening to the fans is a stupid idea especially when the fanbase is so huge and split anyway. You can't please anyone. Which group of fans do you listen to? Stay the course with ten haag for one more season
This podcast is sponsored by Gareth Southgate’s PR team 😃👍
What Analysis could point you to France, Germany and Portugal being defensively solid first type teams? Why wasn't Southgate looking at Brazil in 02 or France in 98? The quality of team we have is much more similar to those than Greece. Also Spain in 2010/12 were possibly the most dominant national team side ever. They barely conceded whilst playing heavily possession oriented football. Of which, we have Foden, Bellingham, Rice, Stones, Walker, Kane and saka to name a few who all play similar possession based systems. None of those teams play 5 at the back or have two completely defensive midfielders, so why are England?
NO
It's such a dishonest narrative that being more open with the press is a good thing and that these players are being more honest. Why they have been opened up to the press is because Southgate is a progressive wanker who tows the radical media line. Unfortunately most of the England players just go along with it
Thought Rooney chose to retire from England rather than Southgate having a role.