Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is one to watch among the potential candidates to eventually replace Gareth Southgate as England manager, according to Ben Jacobs in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside.
Newcastle’s Eddie Howe and former Chelsea manager Graham Potter could also be in the frame, as could Lee Carsley, though it seems Sarina Wiegman is happy with her current role with the Lionesses.
For now, it does not look like Southgate’s job is in any serious danger, with the 53-year-old surely earning himself plenty of time to continue with the fine job he’s done since taking over back in 2016.
Southgate has had his critics, however, and there’s no doubt that a proven elite coach like Guardiola would represent a real game-changer for the national team if it were to emerge as a serious possibility.
Others like Howe and Potter also have impressive credentials, and it may soon be a wise move to freshen things up a bit, even if Southgate has done better than many others in recent history.
Jacobs said: “Gareth Southgate has come under some criticism of late, although I thought England were excellent in the 3-1 win over Scotland. The 1-1 draw against Ukraine was drab, though.
“Southgate won’t be sacked. That’s not an option being considered, and rightly so in my view. It’s just a case of whether he stands down after Euro 2024. His contract expires in 2024 as it stands.
“The FA are already considering options. This is normal, since international jobs (and the recruitment for them) work differently than in club football with a bit more forward planning. But obviously things can be entirely influenced by how England perform at Euro 2024, which is why it’s a bit early to be making predictions.
“Graham Potter will definitely be a candidate. He was the leading choice for the next England manager prior to joining Chelsea. But the way he handled that (albeit difficult) job may have given The FA a few doubts.
“Eddie Howe is another name on The FA’s radar. I just don’t see Howe wanting to leave Newcastle, though, next year if everything goes according to plan this season.
“Lee Carsley is also someone worthy of consideration having won the Under-21 Euros with England this summer. But a vacancy, should one arise, might come too soon for him.
“Sarina Wiegman has already said she’s happy managing the Lionesses. There’s no reason for her to leave her role in 2024 as England look to defend their Women’s Euros crown in 2025.
“And Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is an interesting one to watch. The FA would love to have him. If Manchester City again dominate, could Pep be tempted by a fresh challenge?
“Sources do indicate he likes the idea of managing at a World Cup, but he could also miss the day to day of club football at this stage of his career. Pep, a bit like Jose Mourinho has said in the past, may wait until slightly later in his career for an opportunity in international football.”