Gareth Southgate’s Desert Island Discs: Pre-Euro 2024 Resignation Decision, Musical Choices, and Manchester United Roots

Gareth Southgate disclosed on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs that he had decided to step down from his role as England manager prior to the conclusion of Euro 2024. The full episode is initially accessible on BBC Sounds. During his appearance on the latest installment of the enduring programme, the 54-year-old selected Adele’s “Someone Like You” as one of the eight musical tracks he would choose for a desert island. He clarified to presenter Lauren Laverne that he “kept playing it towards the end of the last Euros” because “I knew I was going to be leaving”. Southgate’s resignation as manager occurred in July, two days following England’s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. He confessed that his decision had been made prior to the final, believing it was “time for change on all sides”. Commenting on the Adele song, Southgate stated: “There were so many of the words in it that, even if I hear it today, it relates to my relationship with England.” The composition, featured on Adele’s 2011 album “21,” is penned from the perspective of a woman speaking to her former partner. Southgate elaborated, saying: “They’ve got to move on and you wish them the best and there are regrets, but there were actually memories that were made.” The former midfielder and defender led his national team for 102 matches over eight years, distinguishing himself as the sole manager apart from 1966 World Cup victor Sir Alf Ramsey to guide the England men’s team to a major tournament final, achieving this feat twice at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. He informed Desert Island Discs that he is “not against” pursuing something “totally different” and that his subsequent career path “doesn’t have to be within coaching”. Southgate pondered: “When you’re a coach and you’ve had one of the biggest jobs, how do you follow that up?” The sixth track Southgate selected for his desert island was “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, featuring Stormzy, originally released in 2017. He described both Sheeran and Stormzy as “amazing” British artists, further stating: “To see young people like these two able to be worldwide superstars is brilliant to watch.” Southgate also recounted that Sheeran had performed for the squad during the last two Euros, including in 2021 when certain Covid restrictions remained active. He disclosed that midfielder Mason Mount and defender Ben Chilwell were required to view the performance from their hotel rooms after being instructed to isolate due to having “been in the tunnel for too long with another player”. His fourth selection was “The Whole of The Moon” by The Waterboys, which came out in 1985. He mentioned that the song evokes memories of pre-season tours in Portugal with Crystal Palace, a team he captained to the 1993-94 First Division championship after being appointed captain at the age of 23. Southgate recalled: “There was a bar that we used to go in and at the end of the night, the band would play this track,” clarifying that the team would routinely remain until the conclusion to participate. He added: “Lads who played with me in that era would recognise this song from that period of our early 20s.” Southgate began his career as an apprentice at Palace, earning £27.50 weekly, “plus your travel expenses,” after being released by Southampton at 13 years old. He stated that he holds no “bitter” feelings regarding his rejection by the Saints, but appended: “I’ve still got the letter at home, tucked away in a drawer.” Following Manchester United’s dismissal of Erik ten Hag in October, Southgate was mentioned as a potential candidate for the managerial position before Ruben Amorim’s appointment. He clarified his early support for United as a youth, despite his birth in Watford, attributing it to his father Clive’s occupation in building services, which necessitated the family’s relocation across the country. Southgate recounted: “We moved to Lancashire when I was very young – Bury, which is where I started supporting Manchester United because they were fairly local.” His football idols included Bryan Robson, who captained United from 1982-94, securing eight major trophies over 12 years, and Steve Coppell, who played on the wing for United between 1975-83. Coppell subsequently became Southgate’s inaugural manager at Palace when he joined the senior squad in 1989. Southgate remarked: “Even when I meet him now, 30 years on, I’m still a little bit in awe of him, still feel I should call him ‘boss’.” Southgate indicated that his early itinerant lifestyle, which also involved moves to Portsmouth and Crawley, proved beneficial in his subsequent football career. He stated: “Generally speaking, I’m a bit more of an introvert, but I got used to having to make connections with people and I think when I played football and joined new teams and moved clubs, I wasn’t worried about just sticking with one or two friends, I was able to cross over dressing rooms.” In addition to selecting eight distinct musical tracks, Southgate was permitted to choose a book and a luxury item. For his luxury item, he opted for a coffee machine, mentioning that he had recently developed into a “coffee snob.” Southgate also picked “The Chimp Paradox” by psychiatrist Professor Steve Peters, known for his work with various elite athletes, such as British Cycling, snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan, and both the Liverpool and England football teams. Southgate characterized Peters’ methodology as “a brilliantly simple way of explaining why we react in the way we do at certain moments.” He further disclosed his participation in a book club with other fathers from his daughter’s former school, noting that they have collectively read 40-50 classic fiction titles, among them JD Salinger’s “The Catcher in The Rye,” Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca,” and Ian McEwan’s “On Chesil Beach.”