With Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad announced on Friday 13, it is only right to look back at the last England manager’s first squad.
That manager was Gareth Southgate, the man that led England to back-to-back Euro’s finals and back-to-back World Cup semi-finals.
Becoming the new England National manager is a daunting task because it takes more than just knowing your tactics. Southgate took over the mantle in 2016 from Sam Allardyce following his short stint.
Gareth’s resume did not scream big stage potential having managed Middlesborough from 2006 – 2009. After having a four-year break from management, he joined the England youth development managerial team heading up the Under-21’s.
He stayed in this position until he succeeded Allardyce.
The first game with a new manager for the fans, is the same as receiving a high mark during school – it is a memorable experience that will be looked back on and compared when you experience it again.
The only difference is that a manager will get scrutinised by the millions of England fans and any other footballing heads around the world.
In Tuchel’s first press conference, he sparked optimism amongst the fans as he said; “We want to play with a hunger and a joy to win and not with the fear to lose”.
For Southgate, his first game was in October 8, 2016. England faced Malta in a World Cup Qualification match which saw the Three Lions win 2-0 thanks to a Daniel Sturridge and Dele Alli strike.
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart, the former Torino, Manchester City, West Ham shot stopper started in goal for Southgate’s first game.
Hart finished the game with a 7.1 match rating (per Fotmob) and a clean sheet. He went on to keep four more clean sheets in the 11 games he played under his final England boss.
Right back: Kyle Walker, former Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and current AC Milan defender played in his favorable position in Southgate’s first match.
Walker ended the game with a 7.4 match rating (per Fotmob) and played the full 90 minutes.
He would go on to make 69 more matches – 64 matches in the starting eleven and six of them being off the bench.
Walker is one of only two players to have started in Southgate’s first and final game.
Right centre-back: Gary Cahill, former Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and AFC Bournemouth defender ended the game with an 8.6 match rating (per Fotmob) winning 10 of his 12 duels.
Cahill went on to register 11 more starts, and one appearance off the bench.
Left centre-back: John Stones, former Barnsley, Everton, and current Manchester City defender was a regular under Southgate and was only the second player to start in Southgate’s first and last game.
Stones ended his first game under Southgate with a match rating of 8.1 (per Fotmob) and a 96% pass accuracy (80/83).
]The centre-back went on to play another 67 times under Southgate with just five off them coming off the bench.
Left back: Ryan Bertrand, former Southampton defender, played only 19 minutes in Southgate’s first game as he substituted off with an injury.
Bertrand went on to play nine more games under Southgate with one of them being an appearance off the bench.
Central defensive midfielder: Jordan Henderson, former Sunderland, Liverpool, Al-Ettifaq, and current Ajax won man of the match in Southgate’s first game.
Henderson received an 8.8 match rating (per Fotmob) and got an assist.
He went on to make 52 more appearances with 17 of them being off the bench.
Henderson has also been included in Tuchel’s first squad making him the third player alongside Walker and Stones to still be included in the National team.
Right centre midfield: Wayne Rooney, former Everton, Manchester United, DC United and Derby County attacker also finished the game on an 8.8 match rating (per Fotmob).
England’s second highest goal scorer (53 goals) played just four times under Southgate with two appearances off the bench.
Left centre midfield: Dele Alli, former Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Besiktas, and current Como midfielder finished the game with an 8.5 match rating (per Fotmob) and a goal coming in the 38th minute.
Alli went to 23 more appearances with five of them being off the bench.
Right wing: Theo Walcott, former Southampton, Arsenal, and Everton attacker ended the game with a 6.6 match rating (per Fotmob) and was substituted in the 68th minute.
Walcott went on to make one more appearance off the bench under Southgate.
Striker: Daniel Sturridge, former Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Trabzonspor, and Perth Glory striker finished the game with an 8.3 match rating (per Fotmob), a goal in the 29th minute, and was also substituted in the 73rd minute.
Sturridge featured in Southgate’s side four times with one cap being off the bench.
Left wing: Jesse Lingard, former Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and current FC Seoul midfielder ended the game with an 8.1 match rating (per Fotmob).
Lingard earned 32 caps under Southgate with 14 of them being off the bench.
The bench included, Danny Rose, Marcus Rashford – who has also been included in Tuchel’s first team, Jamie Vardy, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andros Townsend, Chris Smalling, Eric Dier, Fraser Forster, Micheal Keane, now Jamaican international Michael Antonio, and Tom Heaton.
