The Football Association are open to the idea of appointing a foreign England head coach amid fears Gareth Southgate is ready to leave.
Southgate is considering his future following the team’s heartbreaking World Cup exit at the hands of France on Saturday and is taking a period of reflection during which he will speak to those closest to him before making a final decision.
The FA are desperate for Southgate, the country’s best performing manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, to remain in charge for the Euro 2024 campaign and will make clear they want him to stay during talks, which will be led by FA technical director John McDermott, in the coming weeks.
Gareth Southgate is considering his future as England boss after their World Cup elimination
The Three Lions were dumped out of the competition by reigning champions France
But if the FA cannot execute plan A, it is understood that, at this stage, they are not ruling out appointing a non-Englishman if Southgate walks after six years in charge.
There is no obvious English candidate to replace Southgate. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe and Chelsea head coach Graham Potter are widely-recognised as the two strongest English managers in the Premier League at the moment.
But there is a significant doubt over whether either are prepared to leave club football at this moment in time.
Frank Lampard, currently Everton boss, and Steven Gerrard may also emerge as home-grown candidates.
Brendan Rodgers has admirers at the FA, but while he has spent the vast majority of his coaching career in England the current Leicester boss is Northern Irish. Steve Cooper, currently at Nottingham Forest, could be an option but he is Welsh.
Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard could become Gareth Southgate’s successor
Everton boss Frank Lampard is another who’d be considered as an option by the FA
Pep Guardiola would be viewed as a dream appointment, but the Spanish boss has only recently signed a new deal at Manchester City.
Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel would both be interested in the England job if it became available, but there has been doubt over whether they would even be considered given they are Argentinian and German, respectively.
However, the FA will take an open-minded approach should Southgate depart and will consider all options in order to make the best possible appointment.
Pertinently, England’s Lionesses were lead to World Cup glory by Sarina Wiegman – who is Dutch – earlier this year.
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