Gareth Southgate, coach of the English football team, said “I am not foolish, I know I will be judged on the results at the World Cup and nothing else”, The Guardian reported. 

He continued, “Contracts are irrelevant in football – if results aren’t good enough, then you accept that’s time to part ways. My contract is not protecting me”. 

England have had a disastrous run at the Nations League, which reached its lowest when they lost 1-0 to Italy. They host Germany next, after being relegated to Tier II of the continental competition. 

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“My sole focus at the moment is to get the team right for tomorrow and then we are focusing on a good performance and a good result”, the 52-year-old added. He continues to be backed by the Football Association, and Southgate is appreciative of that. 

“But we understand how the mood changes with the results and has changed. I am realistic about that and I will be judged on what we do in Qatar and I am perfectly happy to be judged in that way. History is history and you are judged on the next match and the next tournament”, the manager said. 

Southgate was booed by his own supporters after the match which resulted in the team’s relegation. The manager addressed this, saying, “Part of the reason we’ve been successful in tournaments has been the feeling of togetherness. We can’t succeed with fans against us, or you guys not feeling warm towards us. It’s harder if we’re having to battle with the opposition and then battle with things on our own island. Only we can rectify that by performances and results.” 

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Despite being cognizant of reality, Southgate remains confident in his ability to lead England into the Qatar World Cup. Agence France-Presse reported him saying, “I think I’m the right person to take the team into the tournament. I think it’s more stable that way, without a doubt”. Southgate added, “I don’t think (the) performance (against Italy) was far off and I know that’s going to get derision just because we’re on the back of a run of defeats.”