Gareth Southgate LIVE: Reaction as FA prepared to wait for Pep Guardiola as England boss’ replacement
The Three Lions boss has opted to step aside and a new manager is now set to take over ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with Eddie Howe the early favourite to succeed him
Gareth Southgate has decided to step down as England manager following defeat to Spain in a tightly contested Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
He announced his decision to quit in a statement issued by the Football Association on Tuesday morning. “As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all,” he said. “But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.”
Speculation has begun as to who will succeed Southgate, with Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola seen as the outstanding candidate. Guardiola is still contracted to the Premier League club but there is a feeling that he could become available next summer with the FA prepared to wait and see if he would be open to the role.
The likes of Englishmen Graham Potter and Eddie Howe have also been linked with the role, while Mauricio Pochettino is also considered to understand the culture around the national team by the FA, which is a trait they will target when appointing a replacement.
Follow all the latest reaction after Southgate’s decision and the FA’s pursuit of a new manager below:
Eddie Howe being considered as FA prepare contingency plans for life after Gareth Southgate
The Football Association will prioritise a coach attuned to English football culture over nationality, if Gareth Southgate does decide to leave his job. The 53-year-old is seeking to make a quick conclusion after a few days’ reflection and talks with senior executives, but the association have naturally started to put a plan in place, given the prospect was likely before the Euro 2024 final.
Eddie Howe, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and under-21 manager Lee Carsley are among those currently at the top of the list. Jurgen Klopp would be a consideration, but is not currently interested in returning to the game, having flatly refused an offer from the United States.
The names illustrate how the FA are willing to take a different approach to previous searches, and almost a middle way between an English manager and the biggest names possible. Given how crucial Southgate was to transforming the culture around the national team, the FA would want any candidate to continue that work. That would inevitably involve an appreciation of the nuances around England, which Pochettino naturally has given that his Tottenham Hotspur provided the nucleus of Southgate’s first tournament squad, for the 2018 World Cup.
Eddie Howe being considered as FA prepare plans for life after Gareth Southgate
The Newcastle United boss is one of a number of candidates that could step into the role should Southgate decide to leave
Spain’s new golden generation can dominate football again – Euro 2024 is only the beginning
An unprecedented era of dominance, the greatest men’s international side of the modern age. Back-to-back-to-back winners of major tournaments. The Spain side of 2008-2012 gave football a new way of looking at the uppermost elite reaches of the game, and gave all sides to come after them a lot to live up to.
The fall that followed, though, was swift, dramatic and prolonged: Spain won just one match at each of their next three World Cups following victory in 2010 and haven’t been past the round of 16 since then.
After retaining the European Championship in 2012, they won only two games in 2016 and the same number in 2021. A long time in the relative wilderness, even if the latter tournament saw them sneak through to the last four.
Spain’s new golden generation can dominate football – Euro 2024 is only the beginning
It’s not just England who might have been shown up by the latest set of Spanish superstars but the likes of France too
Predicting England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup after Euro 2024 final heartbreak
Gareth Southgate was talking about the future. Just not his future. “England have got some fabulous young players and many of this squad are going be around in two, four, six, eight years’ time,” he said after defeat in the Euro 2024 final. If it was his valedictory game, he will leave a legacy beyond two finals. And if not, he could be spoilt for choice when he picks his squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Indeed, as Southgate took a relatively young squad to Germany, filling up the bench with newcomers, the task is likelier to be one of evolution not revolution, whoever the manager is. But in picking 26 for 2026, there are issues.
Some will be resolved at club level: Do players from Aaron Ramsdale to Kalvin Phillips get the football and produce the form required to be in contention? Do managers such as Pep Guardiola, Enzo Maresca and Arne Slot pick certain English talents enough? But some come down to the manager. If it isn’t Southgate, will players whom he might have underrated, from Nick Pope to Rico Henry to Ben Chilwell, get more of a chance?
Predicting England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup
The task is likelier to be one of evolution not revolution, whoever the manager is – but in picking 26 for 2026, there are issues
It’s time for Gareth Southgate to go
Gareth Southgate is now taking a few days to decide his future, but the feeling is that his thinking has already tilted back towards leaving. It was described as 50-50 before the Euro 2024 final, with the run to Berlin helping to change his mind. Now, the mood is naturally much gloomier.
Part of that is the atmosphere, as much as the painful late defeat to Spain. Southgate decided to stay after the 2022 World Cup because he felt the team was in a good place and there was no real major issue with a mere quarter-final elimination. England just narrowly lost a 50-50 game against France, so the mood towards Southgate was positive.
Now, it is anything but. He has repeatedly made reference to the fan opprobrium and the beer cups being thrown at him. That will to castigate Southgate - his “professional capability… questioned beyond belief”, as he put it - has similarly sat alongside the wider punditry discussion around the team. That went from one extreme to another over Euro 2024. Southgate is said to be irritated with the extent of the criticism from pundits he knows personally.
It’s time for Gareth Southgate to go
The Three Lions fell short in Berlin against Spain and their superior idea, Miguel Delaney writes, meaning the time is right for Southgate to leave and allow somebody else to finish the job
Alan Shearer predicts Gareth Southgate’s England future after Euro 2024 final loss
Former England captain Alan Shearer feels the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain will probably be Gareth Southgate’s last match as manager.
Nico Williams had broken the deadlock early in the second half, but substitute Cole Palmer struck an equaliser to give England hope.
However, Mikel Oyarzabal then hit a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory for Spain in Berlin.
Alan Shearer predicts Gareth Southgate’s England future after Euro 2024 final loss
It was a second consecutive Euros final defeat for the England boss
Gareth Southgate reveals next step to decide England future after Euro 2024 heartbreak
Gareth Southgate says he will wait to decide his future after England’s Euro 2024 final heartbreak, saying an immediate decision was not one he was willing to take.
England lost a second successive European Championship final as Spain triumphed 2-1 in Berlin thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner.
Immediately after the game the Three Lions boss was asked about his intentions with the job and the prospect of leading England at the 2026 World Cup in north America, but he stopped short of giving a full answer either way, insisting private conversations were needed first.
“It’s hard to reflect so soon after a defeat like this, to take England to two finals has never been done but we came here to win and we haven’t been able to do that,” he said.
Gareth Southgate reveals next step to decide England future
A 2-1 defeat against Spain in Berlin meant the England manager had fallen agonisingly short in successive Euros finals
Gareth Southgate is right – England need a new chapter
Gareth Southgate has decided his future. It was described as 50-50 before the Euro 2024 final, with the run to the Euro 2024 final Berlin tempting him to stay. But after losing to Spain, the mood was naturally much gloomier.
Gareth Southgate is right to go – England need a new chapter
The Three Lions fell short in Berlin against Spain and their superior idea, Miguel Delaney writes, meaning the time is right for Southgate to leave and allow somebody else to finish the job
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments