Dear England: Lessons in Leadership

A major new book on leadership by former England manager Gareth Southgate

Understand the full story that inspired the play and BBC drama Dear England starring Joseph Fiennes

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘In his book Dear England: Lessons in Leadership, Gareth Southgate shows that he was much more than a football manager. He changed the culture of the England team ― and the country' Sunday Times
‘A beautiful book … I really recommend it’ Rory Stewart
‘What is remarkable is the insight it offers into Southgate’s psychology and motivation: what sustained him through the darkest times and enabled him to become an exemplary leader’ The Times
‘Compelling, entertaining . . . Southgate articulated a moral vision that was beyond anything attempted by a generation of British politicians.' Guardian
‘A leadership manual’ Alastair Campbell
‘A tremendous book’ Chris Evans
‘Many of us find ourselves called upon to be leaders at some point in our lives. Whatever meaning leadership has for you, I hope the stories I tell in these pages may resonate with your own experiences, and may even offer you some guidance.'
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As England manager, in one of the highest profile roles in the country, Gareth Southgate forged a unique management style, combining calm empathy with mental resilience, and courageous integrity with strong accountability. His leadership at England propelled the men’s national team to its most sustained success in fifty years, reaching the 2018 Fifa World Cup semi-final, the 2022 quarter-final, and the Uefa Euro 2020 and 2024 finals. In the process, Southgate revitalised and reshaped the national team’s footballing identity.
In Dear England: Lessons in Leadership, Southgate reveals the defining moments that forged his leadership style, the principles that informed his biggest decisions, and the inner steel he developed that enabled him to perform under the most intense public scrutiny. Learn how to:

• Build resilience and define values

• Transform culture

• Shape a winning strategy

• Turn pressure into performance

• Lead through adversity

Southgate reflects on his early days as a Premier League captain, his lowest moment missing a penalty during Euro 96, through to his experiences guiding England through four major tournaments, and becoming a cultural figure whose open letter during the Covid-19 pandemic inspired a hit West End play. Southgate’s story is one of overcoming setbacks, building quiet resolve and enacting long-lasting change.

Written with warmth, honesty and wisdom, Southgate’s inspiring book transcends football to offer modern-day leadership lessons for any individual, team or organisation

Gareth Southgate holds the record as the man who has represented England in more games than anyone else, with 102 matches as men’s senior team manager and 57 as a player – a total of 159 caps. The only manager bar 1966 World Cup-winner Sir Alf Ramsey to lead the England men’s team into a major tournament final, finishing runners-up in Euro 2020 and 2024, he managed England at four major tournaments, also reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and quarter-finals in 2022. In doing so he holds the record for winning more major tournament games than any other England manager in history.


He is a former winning club captain with a distinguished playing career spanning over 500 games for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, where he was appointed manager in 2006, the youngest in the history of the Premier League at the time. Gareth has won BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year twice. His role with England inspired the award-winning and sell-out West End play Dear England, the title of which was taken from an open letter he wrote to England fans in The Players’ Tribune during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the 2024 New Year Honours List he was knighted for his services to football and his country. His 2025 BBC Richard Dimbleby Lecture on the challenges facing young people received critical acclaim and provoked a national debate. While having supported numerous charity projects, he is proud to be focused on his work as a Goodwill Ambassador for The King’s Trust, Ambassador for Martin House Children’s Hospice and Patron of Help for Heroes. He has recently become a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School, where his experiences have formed a case study on leadership.