England drew against Germany and Italy and then suffered two painful defeats against Hungary. The 0-4 home defeat in particular has stuck.
Southgate lost a lot of credit from the public who held him in high esteem after reaching the European Championship final in 2021 and the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup.
“We have confidence in Gareth and I think that’s important,” said Hewitt, who took over at the FA in January. She spoke of “the persistence and sense of responsibility, which are two qualities I admire most,” when talking about Southgate.
“He never slumps and that’s what we expect from an England manager. It’s refreshing to work with someone like that because his hunger to learn is unusual.”
Hewitt also called for Southgate’s successes not to be forgotten too soon. “He is the most successful England national team manager in 55 years,” she emphasized.
