Rooney: Southgate should stay on for at least 24 years; Mount substitute will help England

Wayne Rooney, head coach of Washington United, wrote the latest column in the Times with the title– Wayne Rooney: England are better than in 2018-Gareth Southgate should stay
(the following is a first-person column)
I enjoyed England’s performance in the 2018 World Cup when they reached the semi-finals and almost beat Croatia to the final, but I was happier about England’s performance in this World Cup.
People say that the most important thing in football is the result, but when judging a team, you have to look at their performance and opponents, and then ask questions such as’is this team improving?’ That’s why, in my opinion, England’s performance in Qatar is better than their performance in Russia in many ways.
England missed only one game in the 2022 World Cup, and that was against the United States, but they still got a point. When everyone looked forward to them, they won Iran, Wales and Senegal, so it all depends on the 1/4 final against France.
Some people say they didn’t win because they didn’t win the game, but France is a good team and they are world champions. Therefore, the result itself is not the basis for judgment.
You have to look at the game correctly, in which France is the more flustered side and England is the better team. It all comes down to subtle details-Grizman’s brilliant cross and Kane’s missed penalty. One day, England will win the game.
In my opinion, this is a big step in the right direction. England unfortunately failed to qualify under pressure from France in the 1/4 final. Later I listened to some interviews with Southgate and he said that England can now arm wrestle with some of the most important top teams in international football and they can.
That’s why, for me, Gareth should stay, at least until Euro 2024. The players respect him very much, the mentality of the team is very good, the team is getting better and better on the pitch, the European Cup in Germany is a good opportunity.
I also think that Southgate has made good decisions in tactics and places that many fans can’t see. If you tell the fans that you will take Mason Mundt out of the starting line-up and play Jordan Henderson, most people will think it is a negative decision-however, in fact, it may give other players more freedom.
As a result of this adjustment, the team has improved and the 4-3-3 formation has helped the team play attractive attacking football. Young geniuses-Bellingham, Saka, Fowden, Rushford-have all done well, and in my opinion, 2022 is also the best peak for Kane.
I think the media and the public appreciate what Southgate has done. This is not a game in which anyone can look back, pick a player and say “he let England down”. When you are out of the knockout stage, it is easy to find a scapegoat. I was seen as a villain in 2006, Beckham as a villain in 1998 and Gareth as himself in 1996. But in 2022, England does not have any players who can be targeted.