Hatters chief honoured to pick the brains of 'incredible' former England head coach Southgate over dinner
Luton boss caught up with ex-Three Lions manager before Christmas
New Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield couldn't praise former England head coach Gareth Southgate enough after he afforded him the time to pick his brains about football management over dinner recently.
Before Christmas and with Bloomfield still in charge of Wycombe Wanderers, he met up with Southgate, who took charge of 102 matches for the national side, leading them to the final of the European Championships in 2020 and 2024, finishing runners-up on both occasions. Spending a couple of hours with the 54-year-old over, who has also managed Middlesbrough in his career, before leaving his eight year tenure with the Three Lions last summer, was hugely beneficial to the new Luton chief.
On how the meeting came about and what he took from it to benefit his approach to his own day job, Bloomfield said: “A mutual friend that we have put me in contact. I was really keen, trying to learn from people who are better than you, who have managed at a higher level, so I got in contact and I was offered the opportunity to go and meet him which I was really grateful to do. I owe him dinner as he paid which is a bit embarrassing, but he was just an incredible man.
"He was everything I expected him to be and more. I really admired the job he did for the England football team, the leader of the FA, the way he was a real pillar and a real figurehead for our country and our national game. I think he’s an incredible man, full of integrity and honesty and he leads the way I feel I would like to lead as well.
"So the opportunity was too good to miss, he gave me a couple of hours of his time, it was probably too long, I probably bored him a little bit if I’m honest, but it was fantastic. He offered me the chance to ask questions, really delve into him. There were things that were really reassuring, that I felt that’s what I believe in, I can continue, also there were bits that he shed some light on that made me go away and think a little bit more and reassess a couple of bits.
"When you’re given the chance to have a one on one with a man of that kind of calibre, it was too good an opportunity to miss and I really appreciated his time, still do now. It’s really important, I believe to manage in any industry, in any walk of life, leadership and management kind of doesn’t change, the people element doesn’t change.
"It’s still humans trying to play a different sport or in a different industry, I think that’s really important to stress. One thing I loved in discussion with him is that he’s been to visit those different industries, but he still reiterates it’s just humans doing a different skill-set in each industry, the human element and the leadership element doesn’t change, which was really heartening for me to hear because it’s what I believe in.”
With Bloomfield having since left Adams Park to take over at Kenilworth Road, he revealed Southgate had been in touch to wish him the best of luck during his time in Bedfordshire. He would also love to have another catch-up, where no doubt he would pick the bill up this time, adding: “He’s messaged to say congratulations on coming here and with all the things that he’s doing, to find that time shows the real quality of the man as well. I took loads from it and if I could follow it up again another time it would be great, I know he’s busy but to have that one opportunity was fantastic.”