England players return home after Euros final heartbreak amid speculation over Southgate's future as Three Lions boss
15 July 2024, 15:14 | Updated: 15 July 2024, 15:20
The England team has touched down at Stansted Airport amid pouring rain after last night's European Championships final heartbreak at the hands of Spain.
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The forlorn-looking side disembarked their private team jet but did not appear to greet fans who had gathered at the airport behind the security fence.
The players touched down just before 2pm as Gareth Southgate and his assistant manager Steve Holland led their players down the plane's steps as the rain poured down.
Harry Kane and semi-final hero Ollie Watkins were among the disappointed players who emerged from the terminal's private building wearing their England training kit.
The 53-year-old manager led out the travelling party, having seen their hopes of joining the 1966 World Cup winners in Three Lions immortality ended in the same way as the nation’s first appearance in a men’s continental final against Italy three years ago.
Southgate was seen waving at some fans amid speculation he may call time on his eight years leading the England team.
Players arrived amid a sombre atmosphere after their heartache in the German capital on Sunday evening.
Southgate will reportedly decide whether this fourth tournament in charge will be his last given his contract expires in December.
“Look, now’s not the time for me to discuss that, really,” Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live after the Euro 2024 final.
“I understand the question, of course, but I think I need to speak to the right people, and we’ll go from there.
“It’s been an amazing experience to lead the team to another final, but obviously at the moment to come short as we have is very painful.”
Asked if not outstaying his welcome – something he has mentioned before – is part of that thought process, the England boss said: “Umm, there’s a lot of things that are part of it.
“There’s what’s right for the team, there’s what’s right for me. Yeah, lots of things to consider.”
Southgate expects to take his decision in days rather than weeks, much like he did when considering his future after bowing out of the 2022 World Cup at the quarter-final stage to France.
There is a keenness within the Football Association for the former defender to stay, albeit there has been a feeling in Germany that this might be the end for him.
That feeling was particularly strong as boos greeted the end of the group draws with Denmark and Slovenia, with the latter stalemate even leading some beer cups being thrown at Southgate.
It has been an emotional rollercoaster for the frequently ridiculed England boss, who enjoyed some memorable knockout highs before tasting the depths of disappointment against Spain.
“You can imagine the scene – nothing being said, really,” Southgate said of the dressing room.
“I’ve said to the players how proud I am of what they’ve done across the tournament. We fell a little bit short tonight.
“In the end, we didn’t keep the ball well enough. We actually minimised, I thought, their attacking threat, particularly in the first half, but we weren’t able to play through their counter press.
“In the end, that starts to tell because you keep giving the ball away, it’s coming back at you and late in the game you can have those moments like we did, where, in the end, I think you get punished for not having enough possession of the ball, really.”
