Lucky Gareth Southgate has Jude Bellingham to thank for saving England's skin

A quote falsely attributed to legendary Nottingham Forest and Derby County manager Brian Clough, but one you could definitely imagine him coming out with.

And one Gareth Southgate may very well be labelled with should England somehow emerge from Euro 2024 with their first piece of major tournament silverware in 58 years.

Where to even start?

Well, we were crying out for a moment, for some memories. Boy did we get that.

• England 2-1 Slovakia: Bellingham saves Southgate's skin

We were also crying out for a performance. We didn't get that.

To say I'd given up hope would be an understatement, although that does have to be balanced with the incredibly professional pragmatism of leaving my local, from which I've been watching every England game this tournament, after 88 minutes to prepare for what seemed like the inevitable fallout of another 'Iceland'.

Thankfully I made it home in time to see Jude Bellingham's clutch overhead kick, and to hear the pub I'd just vacated erupt. It turns out I missed a couple of blokes crowd surfing, something I quickly knew about as I immediately ran back to reclaim my spot.

It meant I could witness further chaos following Harry Kane's close-range header, a goal which completed an epic turnaround.

The remaining 30 minutes or so were fairly eventless, thank God.

When our heart rates return to normal, and the glee begins to gradually turn to Swiss-related anticipation, then anxiety, reconciling with just how bad England were for the majority of a match against a Slovakia team 45th in FIFA's world rankings, has to be addressed.

I'm writing this in the immediate aftermath of what was quite frankly an emotional rollercoaster, so in a couple of days' time, I'd like to think I may be better able to form a more rounded view of exactly what happened.

But right now it's a mixture of elation, relief and hope that this could be some kind of turning point in what was seconds from being as limp a major tournament exit, and overall England performance, as I can remember.

Or just like Portugal in 2016, could it be that it simply has to be this way? Painful.

Right up until Bellingham delivered an iconic moment to salvage the hopes of a nation, it was impossible to shake the feeling that we were right back where we started, in so many ways.

Despite eight long years, right back to Iceland, to what Gareth Southgate inherited. Right back to Sven, to a golden generation who choked. Right back to being an England fan, where it always ends the same way.

Except this time, it didn't.

It's quite incredible just how full circle Southgate's time as England manager has gone. In 2018 it was Colombia's Yerry Mina equalising in the 93rd minute in the round of 16 in Moscow, before the weight of history had to be shaken off to win England a World Cup penalty shootout for the first time.

Eight years later and it's England scoring in the dying seconds to keep themselves in a tournament. It's what happens to us, it's not what we do.

It's Italian. It's German. It's not English.

Maybe that's why it took England's only two players who don't play in the Premier League to break that cycle, just like Portugal-raised Eric Dier was the man to finally strike a winning penalty.

Bellingham's iconic debut season at Real Madrid has been defined not by performances, but moments, twice scoring late winners to win a Clasico, the match-winner on countless occasions.

Kane scored 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga matches. He has scored twice for England in Germany, when it mattered most.

Perhaps we just need to get used to a different England, who somehow find a way.

Let's hope so.

At the moment, hoping is all we have.

If we're honest, there has been little in the way of a plan, a structure. It was only when resorting to the kind of hit and hope, long throw, old school English football type stuff that Southgate's men began to look like any kind of threat, which really doesn't bode particularly well.

Does it matter right now? No. Does it need to change? Yes.

It spoke volumes that prior to being withdrawn, along with the peerless Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo was England's outstanding player.

The rest of the XI, without exception, played as though they were frightened to death, sinking under the weight of expectation. Only when Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze entered the pitch were there more players seemingly willing to share the load.

Without injecting that fearlessness of youth, England are destined to crumble against Switzerland in a match they really ought to win.

Up to this point, Southgate has been loyal, backed his best players to deliver when it matters.

It's honourable, but it cannot go on.

The same can be said for his future as manager. The opening 25 minutes of utter chaos, and subsequent 65 minutes of total cluelessness, laid bare Southgate's limitations as a coach.

Regardless of the outcome in two weeks' time, he simply must be thanked and sent on his way.

With six full days between fixtures, get ready for another inquest.

But at least we have some memories now.

More from Sporting Life

• Fixtures, results and live scores
• Expert xG analysis and features
• Transfer news and done deals
• Football and other sports tips
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.