England fans fall out of love with Gareth Southgate, once seen as a unifying force
Associated PressDUESSELDORF, Germany — Gareth Southgate was credited with making England fans fall back in love with their national soccer team. No.” The reactions toward Southgate, 53, are in stark contrast to previous tournaments when England fans serenaded him to a reworking of the 2001 hit “Whole Again” by British girl band Atomic Kitten, changing the words to “Southgate you’re the one.” The vest he wore at the 2018 World Cup became one of the iconic symbols of the tournament and his team was a penalty shootout away from winning the last Euros — losing to Italy and missing out on England’s first trophy since the 1966 World Cup. Graham wrote the West End play “Dear England” about how Southgate exceeded expectations to guide the national team to the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018 and the final of the last Euros. He believes Southgate speaks to a ”gentle patriotism” rather than the “aggressive or toxic culture wars we’ve been living in, in the rest of the political environment.” The play “Dear England” will be adapted for television and updated with the outcome of these Euros, which has seen the story take a dramatic turn with some fans losing faith. “I understand the feeling towards me, but back the players,” Southgate said after fans threw beer cups in his direction following England’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia on Tuesday.