England head coach Gareth Southgate is set to discuss his future with the FA in January. After losing to France in the World Cup quarterfinal last Saturday, the England manager made it quite clear in his post-match remarks that he needed time to think about whether or not he would stay in the position. The FA and Southgate will utilize the holiday season to assess the situation before jointly reviewing it at the start of the new year. Southgate’s future has not been discussed by either party, but the FA will give Southgate the entire Christmas season to “decompress.” After that time, though, the FA requires some clarification.
Up until the conclusion of the Euro 2024 competition in Germany, Southgate is under contract with England. The FA will need to immediately find a replacement if he is not going to uphold that agreement. In March 2023, England will play Italy in qualification for the European Championships. The FA must strike a difficult balance because they want to give Southgate the time and space he needs to consider his options. To move on and give the England players some clarity, the FA also needs a resolution as quickly as possible.
“Actually, I’m hoping he stays away from club management. When I look at him, I realize that no English person living today has greater experience competing in major tournaments, junior competitions, and representing his nation,” Gary Neville said about England manager Gareth Southgate. “He has seen it all, and in my opinion, he ought to be a part of the system to help create the future. He has been there for ten years, we have had wonderful success with the women’s teams, and with the younger teams, and I believe we have had great success with the men’s team. I believe he has witnessed a change in performance and culture over the past ten years. He should continue working for the FA after his coaching duties are up.”
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