jonathan bye

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

England would not be here in Dallas today in this better shape and with this quality of player and mood without the vital work Gareth Southgate did in tackling a distressed team and dysfunctional system. He made the talent pool deeper. He made players and fans care about England again.

As FA’s head of elite development in 2011 and 2012, Southgate persuaded counties to have kids playing smaller-sided games, enhancing technique. He worked with academies on developing more technical players. He worked with the Under-21s (37 games), building a supply-line of talent.

On becoming England head coach, he worked on rebuilding the relationship between players and fans broken amidst the pain and anger of Nice at Euro 2016.
Southgate worked on England’s culture and restored some identity. He ended club cliques, improved relations with England club managers and their medical staff. He went into club boardrooms and rebuilt trust and support between owners, directors and England.

Southgate smoothed the pathway from Under-21s to seniors and made reporting for international duty something to look forward to again. A joy, not a chore. He brought focus and some fun, real togetherness with inflatable unicorns. He worked on penalties. Marginal gains and more.

He took England from 13th in the world to third. He took England to a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final and to back-to-back Euro finals (102 games, 61 wins, 24 draws, 17 defeats). He just couldn’t get England over the line whether through quality of opposition player and manager or tactical. Like many, I was critical of him at times, in crunch moments of games. But his impact is undeniable and should be respected and celebrated.

England continue to struggle against top-20 sides. France and Argentina yesterday showed the scale of the challenge for Thomas Tuichel and his team here at the World Cup. But England start their latest World Cup finals journey with more belief and quality because of Southgate’s work from 2011 to 2024.

Southgate will doubtless be watching his dear England from afar, wishing them well. He will doubtless take pride in players he knows well. And, although he is too self-effacing and team-minded to talk about it, let alone shout about it, Southgate should certainly take quiet pride in his own immense contribution to England becoming a respected force again. #ENG #FIFAWorldCup

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@reece_dinsdale Tell me you’re joking??!!!

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@SaintsExtra Good signing for Boro maybe??!!

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@_TY_97 Everton paid £40m for Dibling but allegedly offer only £10m for Hackney. If that’s the most anyone offers then keep him to Jan and review again then

[Jacob Raw @JacobRaw_MFC]

🚨Boro are linked with Tottenham’s Alfie Devine.

Preston have activated a £5m buy option in his loan contract, but player is yet to agree to joining.

Could he be the Hackney replacement🤔

#utb

[Andrew Roberts @andyrubble666]

When Twitter adverts land perfectly

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

“The bitter irony of the cases is that none of what has happened had any effect on the sporting performance." Tonda Eckert on spying on Oxford, Ipswich, Boro. Bitter irony? Undermines his attempt at contrition when he argues that yes they spied but it didn't help. Read the room.

[Lewis Coombes @LewisCoombes]

Tonda apologises.. #Saintsfc

[Dan Roan @danroan]

EXCLUSIVE
Southampton FC’s Serbian owner Dragan Solak tells me he will not sack Tonda Eckert over Spygate, despite the "mistake" the head coach made when authorising an espionage campaign against rival Championship clubs ⬇️
https://t.co/drzwYRtMHL

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@ArsenalN7 The ref had a superb game. Stopped Arsenal time wasting too

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@piersmorgan @biel_m04 Actually it’s poetic justice Gabriel blew it.

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@ShonaSaintsB @SouthamptonFC Get your facts right then you won’t make a fool of yourself. Is everyone thick in Derby😃

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@dkaustin87 @boroshaun1971 Aka your manager just cost you the Premier League. Wake up

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@skybluecol At least there won’t be any add ons😬🤣

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@TheSunFootball @karren_brady She’s right. She’s punished West Ham and finally annihilated them

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@lifelongsaint83 Massive disadvantage more like it with no time to prep. Let’s both enjoy it and best team hopefully wins

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@AlfieHouseEcho Alfie mate, the panel could’ve been anyone from anywhere. Just accept the decision to throw the team out of the playoffs is right and you got away with a very lenient points deduction. Focus on those in your club who let you all down.

[jonathan bye @jonathanbye1]

@Boro @GazetteBoro Didn’t realise Wembley dictated levels/criteria for buying a ticket. If we have a few thousand left seems a shame they can’t go to those with less than 3 points. Will look poor if lots of empty seats too.

[Paul '78 @Gibson_Is_King]

Ive got a Boro ticket for the play off final tomorrow.

Unfortunately I didn't realise it clashes with a wedding, so I can't go now.

If anyone wants to go please please let me know.

Its at St John's Church in Yarm and the bride's name is Sarah.

#OldButGold #UTB

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Southampton have to go into full Mea Culpa mode. Written reasons into Spygate are so damning. “Junior members of staff were put under pressure to carry out activities which they felt were, at the least, morally wrong.” Shameful. No more arrogance, no more passive-aggressive statements. Just front up.

Club rightly and widely vilified for the conduct of some within over Spygate and for the inept handling of the fall-out. Only when Tonda Eckert goes can the rebuilding of a damaged reputation begin. Only when the owner Dragan Solak addresses a fans’ forum, takes fans’ questions, and also address widespread external criticism can any trust or respect begin to return. Club cannot put CEO Phil Parsons up for interview following his misguided statement on the day of the appeal. He’s damaged.

Solak has to talk: to restore some faith amongst shocked staff; to persuade those fans thinking of not renewing season tickets or memberships to give them another chance; to give angry fans hope that their club has someone competent at the helm of a listing ship; and perhaps to dissuade some players from jumping ship.

Also, from a commercial perspective, Solak has to reassure sponsors: 19 partners, including a bank, law company and GPS-tracking company and 13 regional partners who may, understandably, worry about the damage to the club and to themselves by association. It's a long road back for Saints and it has to start with Solak leading the way. #SaintsFC