His side laboured through games against Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia but still managed to top their group and are set to face Slovakia on Sunday in their last 16 tie.
Much has been made of Southgate's team selection and ability to make the right changes in games, but talking on William Hill’s podcast, Up Front with Simon Jordan, Theo Walcott has praised the England boss for some of the calls he's made and expects that to continue in the knockout rounds.
Walcott said: “Harry Kane needs legs around him. Gareth Southgate did take him off, though, and that was a big step and it’s always the hardest thing to do the first time.
“Southgate will do it again and he will get it right, and everyone will look at him differently. I think we’ll start to see a different side to him as the tournament goes on.
“Ultimately, we want to win it and he’s made that big shout with bringing Kane off, and he might well do it with Jude Bellingham too. Southgate has made some decisions during the group games which I think were wrong. He needs to look at the situation on the pitch and think about who he can put on to get on the ball and calm England down so that they can then stretch the team."
As well as handling Kane, Walcott also had some advice for the England boss on what to do with Jude Bellingham, who appeared leggy in the goalless draw with Slovenia on Tuesday.
Adding: “I love Jude Bellingham, he’s brilliant, but he looked tired. He’s played a lot of football, and I’d like to see him drop back and carry the ball from deeper – I think he can do it. I’d also like to see more of Anthony Gordon. Southgate needs to use his squad or there’s the danger of cliques forming on the bench.”
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