Gareth Southgate is unique and we should cherish him for the brilliant leader he is, writes CRAIG HOPE

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It was like Winston Churchill in concert with Stephen Hawking - passion and patriotism reinforced by deep intellect. For half an hour in Blankenhain Castle on Friday, Gareth Southgate bared his soul and, with it, captured the heart and mind of anyone present.

At one point, his eyes filled up as he spoke about the influence of his father. Later, they lit up as he spoke of his young players and their potential. They narrowed when he stressed the importance of walking towards plastic pint cups, rather than away.

It was as impressive a performance as I have seen from a football manager. Then again, it wasn’t a performance. This was Southgate.

It is why we should not compare him to any of this country’s great historical figures. He is unique, and he is on the brink of making history of his own.

To be in the room with him was to feel like you were back at the National Theatre watching the wonderful play Dear England, which depicts how Southgate changed the way in which we see ourselves as a footballing nation.

Gareth Southgate has successfully guided the Three Lions to two successive Euros finals

Southgate is so authentic because he means and will stand by every single word he says

That play changed my own perception of Southgate, so compelling was the eloquent portrayal of him by actor Joseph Fiennes. 

On Friday, the stage belonged to the man himself, not that he was acting. That is what makes him so authentic – to a journalist, fan or footballer - because what he says, he means. And what he says makes more sense than some analysis of him this past month. 

There have been shortcomings on the field, yes, but it is his wider body of work that has seen England through as much as anything. See Dear England.

Like the play, there was laughter - ‘I couldn’t celebrate like I did after the semi-final if it was Lithuania away, could I?’ - but the most moving 30 seconds of 30 minutes came close to the very end, when asked how he deals with his emotions in the face of criticism, and beer.

‘I am fortunate in that I am the type of guy you have to prod a lot to get a bark,’ he said. ‘It’s something I get from my dad. He always managed his emotions really well. He had a coach’s mentality - he was always looking after other people. 

Southgate led England's final training session on Saturday ahead of the final in Berlin

He is a calm figure and by his own admission is 'the type you have to prod a lot to get a bark'

'I think we all grow up looking at those figures in our lives and you mimic and take on those traits. I owe a huge debt to him for lots of things, but that’s why I am the way I am.’

We would all do well to mimic some of Southgate’s traits.