Graham Calls Southgate England Manager a Humble, Shy Voice
James Graham said the england manager at the center of Dear England is “a very humble, shy, introverted guy,” while explaining why Gareth Southgate still supported the project about his own tenure. Graham also said Southgate could see value in having a cultural, artistic version of that story alongside the sporting one.
Graham on Southgate
Speaking at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival, the creator of both the play and the TV show said Southgate was not the sort of figure who wanted the spotlight. “He's famously said he would probably never watch [Dear England],” Graham said, before adding, “He's a very humble, shy, introverted guy, which I think we can all respect.”
That character did not stop Southgate from engaging with the project. Graham said he spent time with him at the England training camp and also met his team while working on the show. The two later became acquaintances after the work on Dear England.
Dear England and Southgate
The production is based on Southgate’s time as manager of the England men's football team, and Graham said the former manager still wanted to help even with a show he might never watch. “How can I help you make the thing I don't want to happen?” Graham recalled Southgate saying, a line that captures the odd mix of distance and support around the project.
Graham said Southgate understood the value of the show’s place beside the sport itself. “He could see the value in having a cultural, artistic representation of his project alongside the sporting one,” Graham said. That matters because the story has moved beyond the pitch: it now exists in two forms, with Southgate’s name attached to both the football memory and the stage or screen version built from it.
England’s World Cup hopes
Graham also tied the discussion back to England’s wider ambitions. England is set to take the pitch against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to be staged across the United States. England is ranked 4th by FIFA and has not won the World Cup in 60 years.
His target is simple enough. “Obviously [my hopes are for a] win, but I think we have to be realistic and yet, one of the lessons I love that Gareth tried to instill in his fans was that you have to enjoy the journey towards winning,” Graham said. That leaves England with a familiar burden and a current coach in Thomas Tuchel, while the Southgate era still shapes how the team is talked about now.
