ENGLAND may not have a team capable of lifting this summer's World Cup silverware.

In Gareth Southgate, however, they surely have a manager, individual, leader and ambassador capable of shining on the biggest stage.

He's the perfect man for the job and one of the main reasons I'm so firmly behind the Three Lions' class of 2018.

There are other factors, of course.

With two young football-mad sons, World Cup fever reached, well, fever pitch weeks ago.

From frenzied sticker-swapping to peppering our home with wall charts, the excitement and anticipation has been bubbling for what seems an age.

I'm also feeling buoyant about this particular England squad.

Not because I'm expecting the boys to return with silverware but because of their youthfulness and therefore appetite and enthusiasm.

It means wild hysteria and hype has been replaced with cautious optimism, served with a dollop of realism, and I'm much more comfortable with that approach.

The main reason for my positivity, though, is undoubtedly Southgate.

Have England ever had a more likeable, impressive manager?

In my opinion, probably not and certainly not in my lifetime, since the late, great Sir Bobby Robson.

People question whether he's too nice to succeed but I dispute that.

From my experience around football, as a supporter and reporter, that's simply not possible. You'd be eaten alive.

You can have positive traits and be fair, personable, eloquent and intelligent.

However, when push comes to shove and that whistle goes, you have to have a ruthless, stubborn and unswerving will to win.

Southgate has that edge.

You don't get to the top of the tree just by being a 'yes man' and he's already shown he's not afraid to make big, bold decisions like dropping record goalscorer Wayne Rooney for October's qualifier in Slovenia or handing a surprise plane ticket to rookie full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

One thing is certain. No stone will have been left unturned in terms of England's preparations for Russia.

They will be one of the most prepared, drilled and organised teams out there.

Southgate is a student of the game and those close to him say he's a stickler for detail and fine-tuning.

People voice doubts about his lack of experience, in terms of international management, and I can understand that reservation.

However, everyone has to start somewhere and a rich pedigree didn't make much difference to recent predecessors like Roy Hodgson, Fabio Capello and Sam Allardyce.

Southgate isn't exactly wet behind the ears, anyway, making more than 500 league appearances alongside top players at great cups, lifting silverware and winning over 50 England caps, representing his country at World Cups and European Championships.

Of course, it was during one of his two Euro events - the 1996 tournament in England - that he infamously missed a crucial penalty in our heartbreaking semi-final defeat against Germany.

It's an incident that's dogged him ever since, just as Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce are haunted by their shoot-out misses at Italia '90.

The trio will always be remembered for their failings but how sad that one kick should be career-defining.

Pearce enjoyed some redemption when he slammed home a penalty against Spain at Euro '96 (remember the vein-bulging scenes of unbridled joy?).

Now I'm hopeful and confident that Southgate can similarly exorcise the demons by making a name for himself in Russia.