Southgate set to be named permanent England manager

7 years ago

Southgate set to be named permanent England manager

Gareth Southgate looks set to to be handed the England job on a permanent basis.

He has been acting as interim manager, since Sam Allardyce stepped down in September .

The former defender will be appointed full-time manager after next week’s friendly against Spain, barring any disaster against Scotland on Friday night.

It is believed only a bad outing in the 2018 World Cup qualifier against the Scots, can threaten his prospects.

According to The Daily Telegraph, other coaches interested in the role, have been informed by the Football Association about their decision to go with Southgate.

Some of the names touted as possible alternatives to Southgate, are Eddie Howe, Roberto Mancini and Steve Bruce.

The FA have been impressed with how Southgate has taken to the role, particularly with his decision to drop captain Wayne Rooney, for the last World Cup qualifier against Slovenia.

Southgate refused to give any hints of his long-term ambition ahead of the Scotland and Spain matches, saying: “I have been tasked with preparing for these games. I think it would be wrong to be distracted by anything else.

“My future is not important. It is to me and my family, obviously. But what’s important is that the team is top of the qualifying group going into Christmas and that the country is in a good place with that.

“Then there is time for whatever process is going to happen to take place. For me, that is what is right for the organistation, going through the process, talking to who they want to talk to.

“I have not discussed what happens next. I’ve got meetings in the diary about what happens next with all the age groups through to Christmas and January. I’ve not thought too much about that either.

“The period up to Christmas is a little quieter which gives people time to do the planning for next year.”

Southgate however dismissed the public opinion, that England is ‘the impossible job’.

“I don’t think any job is impossible. I think certain jobs are more complex than others, but no job is impossible otherwise we would not have put a man on the moon,” he added.

“There are huge breakthroughs in industry and computing that some would have thought unimaginable so in my mind no job is impossible, though I understand the complexities of this job.

“I have really enjoyed it. It’s a great honour. I’ve played for my country. I’ve got the chance to manage the best players in the country in an England-Scotland game on Friday night. Wow. For me that’s incredibly exciting.

“As a coach you want to work with good players. What’s clear in my mind for this week is the areas you want to work with from last time. So, yes, I’ve enjoyed it and I intend to embrace this opportunity.

“I accept the landscape. If we play well and we win then things will be positive. If we don’t there will be criticism, but that’s part of being involved in top-level sport and in matches that matter.

“If you are at a big club or with your country then that’s the landscape you are in. If you don’t want to be involved in big games then don’t be involved. For me that was always the privilege of playing for your country.”