Alan Shearer Exclusive: Gareth Southgate can be proud, but resignation may be big blow for Newcastle

• Gareth can walk away with his head held high

• Southgate should be proud of what he's done for his country

• Howe the outstanding candidate to replace Southgate

• Spain were Euro 2024 best team

• Kane has plenty of goals - and years - left in him

Gareth Southgate can walk away with his head held very high, he's been magnificent for England

I'm not surprised Gareth Southgate has stepped down as England manager. I think it's the right decision for him and everyone around him - and for the England team. I did think this would happen, but he's been magnificent for England. He can walk away, be very proud, look back hold his head very, very high and say he did a great job, without being able to get over the line.

When you consider from where he took us from, we were rock bottom when he took over, so in the eight years he was there, he's taken us to places where we now expect to go - which was just unthinkable when we were beaten by Iceland all those years ago.

The togetherness of the squad was shattered when he took over so he's done a wonderful job and he deserves a rest because I can only imagine how many problems there are, how many you have to solve and it's an incredibly tiring and pressurised job. He deserves a rest and he can think about what he wants to do next and where he wants to manage and go.

We should consider ourselves lucky with where we are thanks to Southgate

His time as manager has had a bit of everything. When you look back and remember the way the country came together, it was great to see and producing those magic moments during this tournament was incredible.

The Jude Bellingham overhead kick, when he brought Ollie Watkins on to score, it was incredible. I was there for the semi-final of the World Cup, there for both finals and every game, I remember doing the programme after the Iceland game, so I know where we were when he started and where we are now he's finished. So that's why I say he should be very, very proud of what he's done.

I know we haven't won anything, but we can still consider ourselves lucky to be in this position compared to where we were eight years ago. I think everyone will acknowledge now that England certainly didn't play their best football this tournament, but that in itself, getting to the final without playing sparkling football was a good achievement because of what he did and the atmosphere that he created.

I do think that with the squad and players we now have, someone is going to walk into a job that doesn't need much doing.

We've got a really good set of players. They will have learnt and gained experience certainly from the last tournament and that can only stand them in good stead for two years' time when they head to the World Cup.

There will be plenty of options for him at club level

There's no doubt Gareth will have options with the job he's done with England. He'll need a rest because, he'll have to have a rest because I can imagine it's hard work being the England manager, and the stress and pressure that goes with it. We've seen a small part of it within the last month but he's had to live with it every single day.

On the other hand, it also brings incredible highs, we've seen the reactions after England win and when they score goals. He'll have a rest and I'm sure he'll come back because he obviously loves football. Whether it's here in England or abroad, I'm sure he'll have plenty of options.

There's one clear candidate, but it would be a big blow for Newcastle

It's a great job for someone when you look at the talent that we have available. The options we had coming off the bench, some of them didn't even get on and they're great players. It's now up to a new manager to mould them and carry on the good work that Gareth has achieved, but then somehow, they have to find a way to get over the line and win that trophy that we haven't won since 1966.

I would like the next manager to be an Englishman. We've been down the foreign route before and I know other great managers have been mentioned already but I do think it should be an Englishman in charge. I would imagine the outstanding candidate would be Eddie Howe. I think Eddie has a big decision to make because I'm certain the FA will ask him and then whatever happens after that, we don't know.

I'm fairly sure that a conversation will have been had or will be ongoing now within the FA where Eddie Howe's name will get a mention. Whether Eddie wants the job or not will be the key. The fact we're talking about Eddie and England again means he's done a really, really good job at Newcastle. He's been fantastic and it'd be a big blow if he leaves because the fans love him, he's done a remarkable job and he understands the club, but I get it and I understand it.

Whatever he chooses, if he is tempted by the England job, which I suspect he may be, I don't think many people could or would stand in his way - albeit Newcastle would lose a very talented manager.

Ultimately the best team won Euro 2024

We didn't play well and when we got the ball we didn't use it well enough. We didn't get into forward positions enough. I have no complaints with the result because the best team of the tournament won.

They certainly were the best team on the night and were better than us in almost every position. Having said that, we did get ourselves back into the game again with a great goal from Cole Palmer, another substitute that worked.

The best team won by miles, for them to win seven out of seven games in the Euros tells you how good they were, they had their system and they stuck to it, and they have some really good players.

Harry Kane is still a magnificent goalscorer and will be for years to come

I don't think it's about playing to Harry's strengths, it's playing to the team's strengths. There's no doubt about it that Harry wasn't as sharp as he wanted to be but he's our captain, our record goalscorer and he did score three goals, making him the joint golden boot winner.

I said all along, if you're going to play him you need pace in and around him, we had it on the right but we never really got that from the left side - I know Luke Shaw came back and started in the final but we were always a little bit unbalanced.

When you're as good as Harry is and has been, the questions will always be asked if you're not as sharp as you'd like to be. whether he was carrying some sort of injury that's followed over from last season I don't know, but he'll say himself, he wasn't as sharp at this tournament for whatever reason.

I was 29 when I retired from international football and Harry Kane is coming up to 31 but only he can answer whether he'll retire or not. What I can say is that he's a magnificent goalscorer who will score goals for many years to come.

When the win comes, it's going to taste sweet and we've got lots to be optimistic about

There are so many England players to be excited about ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Jordan Pickford did a really good job again, he'll be around for a while along with Saka. John Stones is there alongside Marc Guehi, who was one of our players of the tournament.

When you look at the midfield, we've got Bellingham, Rice, Mainoo and Wharton who was unfortunate not to get on the pitch. There's so much to be optimistic about. I think getting to another final, we have to use that hurt again. When it does come along it's going to taste sweet because when it's horrible, like it was in the final for them, then you have to use that as motivation to never want that feeling again. There's no doubt it will come and hopefully it does in two years.

We've had our fair share of pain, so when it does come along, we'll all enjoy it.

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