5 months ago
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DISNEY+ has emerged as the surprise front-runner to net the definitive documentary on Gareth Southgate.
All the streaming firms are scrambling to sign the outgoing England boss after his resignation.
Getty
AlamyNetflix has had huge success with its David Beckham series, while Prime Video covered Wayne Rooney.
But Disney — home to the Lion King and the Marvel and Star Wars blockbusters — were said to be front of the queue for football’s waistcoat-loving Mr Nice Guy.
A TV insider said: “Disney+ might not seem like the obvious choice, but they’re an organisation with huge amounts of money, not to mention a truly global platform as Gareth starts the next chapter of his career.
“It just depends what he has planned after quitting as England manager.
“Will he want to nurture a career in the media, take time away from the limelight or get back into football management at some level?
“Either way, the biggest TV names will be buzzing round him with big-money offers — and Disney is likely to be the biggest.”
Disney+ is also home to global hit Welcome To Wrexham — following Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s takeover of the Welsh club.
Southgate's England legacy should be celebrated, not torn down
By Tom Barclay
Gareth Southgate claimed that only winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the footballing world.
Spain proved a last-gasp comeback too far in Berlin, but defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation put respect back into the world of England football.
Critics will pick apart his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in the most high-pressurised games – with some legitimacy.
Yet what is quickly forgotten is the laughing stock our national side had become before he took over in 2016.
A shambolic Euros exit to Iceland that summer had been followed up by Sam Allardyce quitting just one game into his tenure thanks to his pint of wine with undercover reporters.
Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his understated eloquence and his vision for a better, different future.
He had analysed why England had so often failed in the past, from lack of preparation at penalty shoot-outs to players being bored out of their minds during major tournaments.
Southgate took those findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and it led to back-to-back finals for the first time in our history.
Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, shock, horror, that it was met, generally, with support.
It did not stop him from being criticised when required – we are no cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of yesteryear – or today on social media – was largely gone.
No manager is perfect and neither was Southgate. We cannot pretend his teams played like those of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.
But in the fullness of time, his feats will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.
Hopefully his successor can go one step further and bring football home.
To do that, they must show respect to what Southgate has created and build on it, rather than rip it down.
To read more from Tom Barclay click HERE.
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