Many fans thought it couldn’t get any worse for England.
This was rock bottom, surely? England were out-played, our-manoeuvred and out-battled in every single department in their 2-1 defeat against Iceland.
Iceland were organised, passionate, aggressive and inventive while England were sloppy, slow and bereft of any ideas to wrest the game back when Iceland equalised early on from a long throw we’d been warned about.
It was the worst performance Alan Shearer had seen from any England side…ever, he brutally opined in the Match of the Day studio.
Hodgson faced the media immediately after the game with his resignation statement following the most abject 90 minutes of football any England fan had witnessed in many a long year.
But if Hodgson quitting was going to offer any solace or light at the end of the tunnel that English football could once again be reborn in the wake of England’s ignominious exit, many fans were sadly mistaken.
Many reacted with horror at the list of regulars trotted out by the bookmakers as potential replacements for the out-going Hodgson.
Atop the rather weary looking list was Gareth Southgate’s name – and the sight of the former Three Lions defender and U21 boss as bookies’ favourite to lead England on was too much to bear for some.
Ian Wright was backing him…
Ian Wright: I don't want Arsene Wenger as next #ENG manager. I'd go for Gareth Southgate https://t.co/eAs9Gm2HnF
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 27, 2016
Not many other people were however…
https://twitter.com/FootyAccums/status/747547685570347009
https://twitter.com/robparker180/status/747552648690282496
Surley this is a joke???? Gareth Southgate…… OMFG!!! Get Woy back!! pic.twitter.com/VIPAsyKTdv
— Seddi (@seddiMUFC) June 27, 2016
Things worse than getting knocked out by Iceland, 1) Southgate being favourite, 2) having so many Welsh mates 3) bets I made previously 😐
— Josh bowen (@bowen_josh) June 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/OfficeToOcean/status/747552609020547072
The only thing worse thing that could happen now is Southgate getting the job
— Ollie Roper (@Ropeo_27) June 27, 2016
not Southgate anybody but Southgate! Oh look Southgate is the favourite pic.twitter.com/MWiyCCJRPO
— Dan Gear (@DGear86) June 27, 2016
Southgate fav. Seriously from bad to worse awful decision if true. Man for the job is Terry Venables.. Oh no it's not seriously Sean Dyche
— Phil (@realredphil) June 27, 2016
Please not Garath Southgate though, couldn't even imagine what he'd do!
Get Ranieri in— Sam Eales (@seales_14) June 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/tommyla/status/747569785458790400
https://twitter.com/jasongormley/status/747568943074775040
Steve Mclaren, Roy Hodgson……………
………Gareth SouthgateI give up.
— Peter Gallagher (Gally) (@Gally198315) June 27, 2016