The ‘selfish’ reason Anthony Gordon wants Gareth Southgate to extend his England stay after Euro 2024

Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has backed Gareth Southgate to remain with the England team beyond Euro 2024 amid uncertainty surrounding his long-term future.

The 23-year-old is one of the contenders to start England’s opening Euro 2024 game against Serbia after an excellent season for the Magpies which saw him register 11 goals and 10 assists from 35 Premier League appearances last term.

Gordon joins an excellent generation of English talent that are hopeful of ending the nation’s 58-year wait for silverware following their solitary World Cup title back in 1966.  Southgate has come the closest to ending that barren run since Sir Alf Ramsey’s triumph and famously led England to the final of Euro 2020 before falling at the final hurdle in a penalty shoot-out loss to Italy.

The former Middlesborough boss has failed to win a trophy in his eight years with the Three Lions and hinted that his time could be up after the tournament, with his contract expiring in December.

“If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here anymore,” Southgate told German publication Bild. “Then it might be the last chance.I think about half of the national coaches leave after a tournament – that’s the nature of international football.

“I’ve been here for almost eight years now and we’ve come close. So, I know that you can’t keep standing in front of the public and saying ‘please do a little more’, because at some point people will lose faith in your message. If we want to be a big team and I want to be a top coach, then you have to deliver in the big moments.”

Asked if he could have signed a contract extension before the tournament kicks off this week, Southgate said: “No. The reason is that there would have been more criticism, which would have put more pressure on the team. England did that once before with Fabio Capello, and there was a big drama before the tournament. It’s better to check yourself after the tournament.”

But Gordon insists that the England boss should remain in his post after the tournament and claims that at times he is under-appreciated by sections of the British media.

“From a selfish point I would want him to stay,” said the 23-year-old. “I love working with him and his staff. From my youth journey with England, the way they have transitioned the whole set-up from youth to senior level. It has been absolutely amazing and I don’t think they get the credit he deserves.”

Gordon was a member of the England team which won the U21 European Championships last summer and his performances for the Three Lions proved to be the catalyst for his incredible Premier League season.

The former Everton star became the first Englishman since Mark Hateley in 1984 to win the Player of the Tournament award, and joins Cole Palmer as one of two members of that triumphant U21 team to make the senior 26-man squad 12 months later.

Newcastle linked star James Trafford, who saved a penalty in the final, Gordon’s close friend Curtis Jones and Jarrad Branthwaite were all dropped from the provisional 33-man squad while the likes of Levi Colwill and Emile Smith-Rowe have won England caps in the past but failed to make the cut.