We’ve done it! England have topped the group.

Knockouts here we come!

You’d think we’d all be jumping for joy. Instead, there’s a palpable sense of disappointment across the nation. “Lacklustre,” “mediocre,” “laboured” – just a few of the choice words used to describe England’s recent performances. You’d be forgiven for thinking we were heading home on the first flight out of Germany, not progressing into the last 16 as winners of Group C!

Five or six years ago, we’d have been ecstatic if England managed to scrape through to the knockout stages. Now, we’re disappointed they haven’t done it with style. How times have changed…

At Euro 2020, Gareth Southgate was hailed a hero. He had succeeded where so many other England managers had failed – leading the men’s team to a major final. Even though they lost to Italy on penalties (of course, it’s England!), our pride in the national team was undeniable.

Fast forward a couple of years, and Southgate wrapped up Tuesday’s draw with Slovenia to a symphony of boos and a shower of paper cups. The fans aren’t the only critics; pundits have been equally quick to put the boot in.

So, what’s changed? His famous lucky waistcoat perhaps? Maybe. But I suspect the growing frustration is more likely a by-product of his team’s past success.

England’s impressive performance at the last Euros and recent World Cups didn’t just restore our faith in the Three Lions; it raised the bar to a level we haven’t seen in decades. After years of misery, we finally had a men’s team that could deliver. But, as Southgate will testify, with success comes greater expectations.

When asked why fans’ attitudes have shifted, the England manager hit the nail on the head: “Probably expectations. We’ve made England fun again and it’s been very, very enjoyable for the players. We’ve got to be careful that it stays that way.”

At All-Tag^® , we face a similar responsibility. Having enjoyed strong growth and success over the last couple of years, we know that our customers have higher expectations going forward. And rightly so…

To fulfil those expectations, we recognise how important it is to make the right strategic decisions and have the right resources in place in the right areas of the market. We might not have the hopes of the nation weighing down on us, but we want to do everything in our power to meet (or surpass) customers’ rising expectations.

For me, investing in technology and innovative solutions that keep us ahead of the game will be key to achieving this. Because in football or in business, it’s about always pushing for that next goal. As the saying goes, shoot for the stars and aim for the moon (or the back of the net if you’re Harry Kane!)…

There’s no question that innovating will be the cornerstone of All-Tag’s plans for progression over the coming years. As we navigate and respond to the increased expectations placed upon us, you can expect to see technology front and centre of our strategy. As for Gareth Southgate, only time will tell whether he can help England regain their spark and live up to the nation’s high hopes.

I’ll certainly be cheering on the team in Sunday’s knockout match, albeit with bated breath and my fingers tightly crossed – this is England after all.