England's Gareth Southgate has blunt take on expectations at Euros

Gareth Southgate enters his fourth major tournament as England manager this weekend, and it could very well be his last.

England kicks off its first game of the UEFA European Championship against Serbia on Sunday. In what's considered one of the easiest groups in the tournament, Southgate was brutally honest about his squad's expectations this summer.

"If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here anymore," he told BILD, citing the "nature of international football."

After eight years in charge, England's been relatively successful but fell short of winning championships. The team went to the semifinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and lost in penalties in the final of the 2020 Euros. 

The pressure continued to mount on Southgate after a disappointing exit in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup spurred more questions about his ability to lead England in another major tournament.

Amid the controversy over his squad selection for the upcoming Euros, Southgate was linked with the Manchester United job. Knowing he'd be a candidate to return to high-level club football takes a weight off the manager approaching the tournament. 

Leaving the Euros without a trophy when England are tournament favorites would all but force Southgate out the door. The manager admitting so helps further relieve anxiety about his future. The transparency makes this summer very straightforward.

Southgate and England enter the tournament with a win-or-bust mentality. An exit means both the country and manager can move on.