How long must England fans continue to suffer the misguided managerial mediocrity that is Gareth Southgate?

Almost six years into Southgate’s reign and the England team continues to serve up dire, defensive displays that make a mockery of the attacking talent at their disposal.

It’s reached a point now where I am so disillusioned with the manager, his team selection and his tactics that I almost need to force myself to watch them play.

Against Hungary they were awful, against Germany only marginally better (although Southgate was ‘pleased’ with the display). And these performances, which are certainly no improvement on those under his predecessors, come in a year when the World Cup is fast approaching.

Southgate was an appointment based on political correctness. A manager put in place because he wasn’t likely to rock the boat by saying or doing anything controversial.

He took over the Three Lions on the back of an entirely unremarkable managerial career at club level and a stint in charge of the England Under-21 side which didn’t generate any sustained excitement.

Off the pitch he is a model of perfection, saying all the right things, supporting all the right causes and displaying a penchant for diplomacy that would shame most ambassadors. In short, he talks the talk.

But when the players cross the line, the illusion of managerial competence evaporates and a dithering indecisiveness combined with a paranoid fear of defeat takes over.

Yes, he took England to a semi-final and a final. But the first of those was mostly down to the lack of decent opposition they faced, and the second was a combination of home advantage and luck.

Southgate is, as I have said all along, an extremely nice chap. The sort of man you wouldn’t hesitate to ask to pop round and water your plants while you are on holiday. Charming, bashful and warm.

However, he isn’t an international manager, in any shape or form. And I am almost entirely certain his deficiencies will mean there is another dollop of heartache ahead in Qatar.

With a few months to go, there is still time for the FA to right this wrong, to put a man in place who may not be full of platitudes and sound bites but who knows how to get a team to play to its strengths.

It won’t happen, but we can always dream.

* For the record, this piece was written way ahead of last night’s Italy match, which England will probably have won 7-0 just to make me look stupid. Having said that, not even a 15-0 win would change my opinion that it is time for change.

Sorry isn’t the hardest word

It takes a big man to admit he is wrong, and Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has proved himself to be just that by apologising for the club’s car crash of a season.

Everton only guaranteed Premier League survival in the penultimate game, and even then, had to come from 2-0 down at half-time to secure an improbable 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace.

But Moshiri has not shirked responsibility for the mess that started with the controversial, misguided and deeply unpopular appointment of ex-Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.

“It has not been good enough and we need to do better. Mistakes have been made and for that I want to apologise to all of you,” he said in an open letter to the club’s supporters.

“I am almost entirely certain his deficiencies will mean there is another dollop of heartache ahead in Qatar”

Giving Benitez the top job at a club he used to belittle and mock was undoubtedly a huge gamble. It didn’t pay off in spectacular fashion, and the Spaniard was sacked after a run of just one win in 16 games.

New manager Frank Lampard, despite a shaky start, was eventually able to turn things round and secure Everton and their supporters a remarkable 69th successive season of top-flight football.

Had that not happened, had the unthinkable nightmare of relegation become a reality, then I don’t think there would have been an apology big enough to placate Everton fans and Moshiri may have found himself in an untenable position.

As it is, they probably remain on his side. And with Lampard finding his feet and the club’s new ground at Bramley Moore Dock well under construction, there is every chance he will be able to keep them there with the promise of a brighter future.

Unless, of course, he has another lapse of sanity, sacks Lampard and appoints Kenny Dalglish…

Your say

“As usual I look forward to reading your contributions in the Sunday Times, although I do not always share your views.

“With regard to yesterday’s match against Hungary, though I did not watch it, I was surprised that Gareth Southgate used an experimental side just five months before the start of the World Cup. What is the reasoning behind his decision? Is he still undecided what players to take to Qatar in November? How come he is still picking uncapped players who have no experience in high-level competitions like the World Cup as well as the Nations League?

In my opinion, if he continues with his indecision, England will not only fare badly in the Nations League but they will be a big disappointment in the upcoming showpiece in the Middle East. There are so many good players, especially up front, like Mount, Foden, Grealish, Sterling (though sometimes I find him too selfish) and Kane (not as skilful as Messi though a useful striker and reliable penalty taker). Rashford has no place in the squad, as well as Maguire. Tammy Abraham could be the star of the tournament.

“Anyway, just to conclude, I do not have any aspirations for the England team, especially with Southgate at the helm, unless he formulates a good squad with the right players and finds the right combination, just as Argentina showed last week against Italy with De Maria and the evergreen Messi.

“My prediction for England in Qatar is a quarter-final place at best (unless they meet the Netherlands in the round of 16) and a third placing in the current Nations League.” Alex Coppola, e-mail.

For the most part I completely share your views Alex, as you may have noticed above. However, you seem to have hope Southgate can still pull things together. I have none.

E-mail: James@Quizando.com

Twitter: @Maltablade