Indeed, conversations were taking place prior to the Three Lions heading to Qatar, with views differing from top to bottom, from pundits on TV to fans at home.
Now, having seen England falter on the world stage once more, the former Middlesbrough manager has revealed he is "conflicted" over his future and will take some time to "review and reflect".
"I've found large parts of the last 18 months difficult," Southgate told the BBC a day after his side’s elimination in Qatar.
"For everything that I've loved about the last few weeks, I still have how things have been for 18 months - what's been said and what's been written, the night at Wolves.
"I don't want to be four, five months down the line thinking I've made the wrong call.
"It's too important for everybody to get that wrong."
Refreshing new markers for success
Appointed in October 2016 after the embarrassing one-game reign of Sam Allardyce, the 52-year-old has presided over the most successful competitive spell of any England team since the 1966 World Cup win.
After a solid decade of disappointment and disconnect between players and fans - particularly under former boss Roy Hodgson - Southgate brought in a new approach, tapping into a fresh generation of exceptional talent and breaking down club barriers that had haunted squads of the past.
He led England to their first World Cup semi-final since 1990 in Russia, agonisingly losing to Croatia in extra time having gone ahead earlier in the game.
It was a refreshing and surprisingly successful run for England, and all during a politically tumultuous time for the country, with the UK still reeling in the midst of Brexit fallout.
He then carried that form into the Nations League competition, with England reaching the semi-finals, before a series of games at Wembley saw the Three Lions reach their first-ever European Championship final in 2021, losing to Italy on penalties.
During that period, Southgate has won six knockout games in major tournaments as boss - the same number as England won in the 48 years prior.
However, their form dipped somewhat after Euro 2020. England went on a skid of poor results, finding themselves relegated from their Nations League group with no wins and three defeats, including the humbling 4-0 loss to Hungary at Wolves' Molineux.
England went into the World Cup in Qatar on the back of some of the worst form in their international football history, which dampened expectations going into the tournament.
A golden generation?
Southgate had benefitted from the emergence of a generation of talented English players perhaps never seen before, with a squad boasting some of the top talents from top European clubs, with Champions League and Premier League winners’ medals aplenty.
Managers of the past could have only dreamed of having the likes of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Declan Rice, Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker to name but a few, as well as emerging young superstars such as Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham.
He was also criticised for much of his tenure prior to Qatar for being overly negative in his tactical approach, placing too much focus on the opposition, and playing with five at the back.
These tactics often meant England sacrificed an attacking spot, where all their talent clearly lies.
Southgate has also come under fire for his poor execution of tactical changes and substitutions, something that was particularly evident in the Euro 2020 final loss.
He held off bringing on Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho until the last minute of extra time before both went on to miss their respective penalties en route to the Italians’ victory.
Many felt bringing the pair on earlier could have won the game in extra time for England.
He’s a very safe, pragmatic manager, but Qatar felt like the first time fans got to see what happens when the attacking players were let off the leash - reverting to a 4-2-3-1 formation that led to England being the tournament's top-scoring team in the group stages.
Few could have achieved what Southgate has, and his journey alongside the players he brought with him from his time as under-21s manager will have been invaluable.
Culturally he has been an important voice, empowering his leading players to make bold statements on equality and serious social and political issues, particularly during the pandemic and on human rights issues leading up to Qatar.
But there is also a sense that Southgate has a ceiling, and one that may have already been reached.
While a semi-final, final and quarter-final is an improvement on the many tournaments before this one, there is no denying the downward trend that is now appearing, and there are very obvious signs that this squad of players is capable of winning tournaments.
Southgate has won 49 of his 81 games in charge of England, with the quarter-final loss to France being his 14th defeat. His win rate of 60.49% ranks him fourth among England’s all-time best managers.
It could be time for a fresh perspective, but many current players, fans and pundits want to see him stay on until at least 2024’s Euros, which he is contracted to.
Former players have their say
In his column for the BBC, former England captain Alan Shearer was adamant that Southgate should remain in the post.
"I have no doubt at all that Gareth Southgate should stay on as England manager to take us to the 2024 European Championship.
"We were a shambles when Southgate took over in 2016 and it had felt like we were going nowhere. We had been a laughing stock at the Euros earlier that year and it felt like things could not get any worse.
"Compare that with where we are now, after the amazing experiences we have had at three major tournaments with Southgate, and it is probably why losing to France hurts so much."
Fellow pundit and former England star Gary Neville also called for Southgate to stay.
Neville, while speaking on ITV in the aftermath of the France match, said: "I would love Gareth to stay on for another two years. I'd love him to stay on beyond that.
"We've got a good team of technical players. England is in a pretty good place, let's be clear about that.
"We've been out of tournaments in disgrace in the last 25 years, thinking what the hell is the future? We've got a great future and he is a big part of that."
But fans on social media - as well as controversial former Manchester City and QPR player Joey Barton - believe it’s time for a name with more pedigree to take charge of England’s national side.
"Can't believe Southgate hasn't resigned yet. That's two World Cups and a home European Championship we could/should have won," Barton said via Twitter.
"Stop rewarding failure. Got to go. Time to hire somebody who can win."
Who are the alternatives?
The age-old conundrum arises if Southgate was to leave his post early - who is out there to take the reigns?
There is a limited number of ‘elite-level’ English managers in the top flight, as there has been for quite some time.
Graham Potter feels as though he may have been first-choice for the FA had he remained at Brighton, but with him very recently making the move to Chelsea and him barely completing half a season at Stamford Bridge, it would be a very unlikely move.
The man he replaced, Thomas Tuchel, could be an interesting choice though.
Tuchel has reportedly sounded out the FA to be Southgate’s successor, should the job arise in the near future, and his winning record at the likes of Chelsea, PSG and Borussia Dortmund - including a Champions League at the London club - could be a huge feather in his cap.
Another foreign option on the table is Mauricio Pochettino, who has been out of a job since he was axed by PSG in the summer.
The Argentine former Spurs coach still lives in England, not far from St Geroge’s Park, and is highly thought of amongst fans and the press in the UK after guiding Tottenham to their first ever Champions League final and their highest-ever Premier League finishes.
Both play an exciting, forward-thinking and attacking brand of football, often built around a high press. They also both have plenty of experience dealing with high-profile, world-class players.
But many would be keen to point out the mistakes of going after fashionable foreign managers in the past, with Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello both dramatically flattering to deceive despite taking the job off the back of exciting CVs.
The game has changed a lot since their times though, and both Pochettino and Tuchel are familiar with the English game from their time spent at top English clubs - something Sven and Capello didn't have.
The other name on the list is Eddie Howe, who could well be the prime target should Southgate choose to quit.
Despite only being in the Newcastle job for a year, he dragged the club from bottom of the Premier League to a respectable 11th place after 38 games - and now has Toon Army fans dreaming of a Champions League place with the club currently in third.
It would be a remarkable decision for Howe to suddenly give that up, but it does feel as much as when, rather than if, with regards to his future employment as England manager.
Whatever happens, Southgate has done plenty on and off the pitch to hold his head high and be remembered as a positive influence on Engish international football.
