Gareth Southgate has addressed his future as England manager following the heartbreaking defeat in the Euro 2024 final.
After what has been a difficult but hard-fought couple of weeks for Three Lions out in Germany at European football’s flagship tournament, England unfortunately fell at the final hurdle as they lost to 2-1 to Spain in the final of UEFA Euro 2024.
It’s fair to say that this year’s tournament was made up of both some underwhelming performances and exciting last-minute moments in the form of decisive goals to secure victories which took Gareth Southgate’s men right to their second consecutive Euros final – which took place in Berlin last night (14 July).
While millions of England fans nationwide began to believe 2024 was the year football may, in fact, be coming home, sadly it just wasn’t meant to be.
Now that the dust has settled, and football fans begin to wake up to a new week and prepare to crack on as normal, Gareth Southgate has addressed his future as England manager in some open and honest interviews, and has given his take on his team’s performance in the losing match and what the players maybe could have done better to have stood a chance at taking home the title.
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He’s also given fans some words of hope to take with them in the immediate aftermath.
Southgate described the opportunity of getting to another Euros final as a “privilege”, but admitted that to “come up short” at the last step is “hard at the moment”.
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He told the ITV following the game: “The players will take enormous credit for getting us to where we did, but when you’re as close as that, you have to take your chance. They have represented the shirt with pride and haven’t been beaten until the very end. I just think Spain had more control of the game.”
England’s starting 11 in the final of UEFA Euro 2024 / Credit: Eddie Keogh (The FA and England on Facebook via Getty)
When pressed on his future, and asked by the BBC about whether he will remain in his position as England manager, Southgate said he felt that it was “hard to reflect” on his eight years in charge, but that ultimately, “now is not the time for me to speak about [my future]”.
“I need to talk to the right people and give myself a bit of time,” he admitted.
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"I need to talk to the right people and give myself a bit of time."
Looking forward to what’s ahead for the men’s national team, whether or not he is at the helm, Southgate had more of a positive outlook, and told ITV: “England are in a really good position in terms of the experience they have. Most of this squad will be around for the next World Cup and maybe the next Euros.
“England have some fabulous players. We have been consistently back in the matches that matter. It’s the last step we haven’t been able to do.”
Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press Shot (via SCFC)
Sport
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Emily Sergeant -
15th July 2024 
