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Video: Man City’s Pep Guardiola refuses to rule out taking the England job

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:00:46 +0000

Ahead of Man City’s pre-season tour, Pep Guardiola was asked about rumours connecting him with the England job.

With Gareth Southgate having resigned after England’s Euro 2024 final loss against Spain, the Football Association have to get the next appointment spot on.

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It’s easy to understand why Guardiola would be the choice of many, and whilst he intimated that he was happy at City and looking forward to the new season, he didn’t specifically rule out taking the England job in the future.

?? "I'm really happy here"

Pep Guardiola insists he is only focused on Manchester City after being linked with the vacant England manager role ?? pic.twitter.com/o24zlUagGS

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 23, 2024

Pictures from Sky Sports News

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“Phenomenal” Eddie Howe’s comments blind side Newcastle board as England rumours continue

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:51:21 +0000

It’s only been a short while since Gareth Southgate resigned from the England job, but that hasn’t stopped the speculation that Newcastle United manager, Eddie Howe, would be the perfect replacement.

That neatly bypasses the fact that there’s a due diligence process that needs to be gone through by the Football Association in the first instance, and that the Magpies board would almost certainly turn down any FA request to speak to Howe.

Newcastle hold clear-the-air talks with Eddie Howe

Given how brilliantly Howe’s teams play football, and his tactical understanding of the game, it’s no real surprise that the FA would want to at least test the waters and see where the land lies.

Recent comments attributed to the Newcastle manager have, apparently, pushed the club’s board into clear-the-air talks with Howe, according to The Telegraph (subscription required).

Eddie Howe has been heavily linked with the England job.

There has to be a degree of worry for those talks to have been initiated, and indeed, the outlet detail Newcastle’s CEO, Darren Eales, describing Howe as “phenomenal,” which clearly evidences the esteem which the 46-year-old is held in by the St. James’ Park hierarchy.

It seems that comments Howe has made to the media about being happy if he continues to be supported in doing his work as he has been to this point is what has blindsided the Newcastle board.

Though the manager hasn’t explicitly said he would take the England job, there was enough in his statements to hint at it being a possibility if the direction that Newcastle were taking took some of Howe’s power away.

Paul Mitchell having replaced Dan Ashworth as sporting director should arguably be a seamless transition, however, if the new man wants more say in transfer dealings, thereby weakening Howe’s position, that is just one area of contention that could see the latter walk in due course.

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Eddie Howe insists he’ll stay at Newcastle on one condition amid England links

CJ — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 18:48:57 +0000

Eddie Howe has insisted he’ll remain ‘very committed’ to the Newcastle job as long as he feels ‘happy and supported’ by the club.

Howe has been heavily linked with the vacant England post after Gareth Southgate stepped down following Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Many bookmakers have made Howe the favourite. However, Newcastle CEO Darren Eales reiterated the club’s desire to keep him at St. James’ Park earlier this week.

“We’re obviously committed to him,” Eales said (via BBC Sport). “He had a multi-year extension last summer and we’re on an exciting journey. As far as we’re concerned, Eddie is the man to lead us on that.”

Howe addresses England links

Eddie Howe has been heavily linked with the England job.

Despite Eales’ insistence that Howe is going nowhere, that hasn’t stopped reporters grilling the manager himself on the England links, nor has it done much to shorten his odds of taking the job.

But for Howe himself, he has stated clearly that he is enjoying life on Tyneside and that as long as he continues to be backed by Newcastle United, he’s going nowhere.

“It is an unbelievable football club. I’m very, very proud to be the manager,” Howe told BBC Radio Newcastle from the Magpies’ pre-season training camp in Germany.

“I love the supporters, I love the players, I love the staff. So really, there has been no thought in my mind on anything else and I have been very committed to the job here.

“For me, as long as I am happy and feel supported and feel free to do the work that I love to do at Newcastle, I’ll be very happy – and I am very happy.”

As Eales mentioned, Howe only signed a long-term contract extension last summer after guiding Newcastle to the EFL Cup final and Champions League qualification.

The Magpies regressed somewhat in 2023/24, slipping to seventh in the Premier League table and missing out on European qualification altogether.

However, a spate of injuries throughout the campaign didn’t help and Howe is very much still seen as the man to lead the club forward. The 46-year-old expects to be in the dugout come the opening day of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

“Of course that is my expectation because I am the manager of Newcastle and I am very proud to be,” he responded when asked if he anticipates still being at St. James’ Park for the start of the upcoming campaign.

“But as I said, it is all about the environment I am working in. As long as that is one where I feel I can give my best, then absolutely, we will crack on and I am looking forward to next season.”

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Collymore: England have a massive inferiority complex that’s stopping them winning tournaments

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:39:37 +0000

When England qualified for the final of Euro 2024, given the way in which they’d play to reach the showpiece, there was enough of a reason for supporters to believe that the Three Lions had their name on the cup.

Gareth Southgate’s side were far from their best throughout the tournament, and yet somehow dragged themselves to Berlin where they’d eventually be undone by a brilliant Spain side.

England did have their moments, but Stan Collymore believes their failure to get over the line in major tournaments is down to a massive inferiority complex that they have.

England’s inferiority complex is continuing to hurt them

“It’s always been the same for England for over 50 years. I think that there is this feeling of inferiority at international level because of our record and because of the hype. “It’s coming home, 60 years of hurt….,” he said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.

“People say that English players play well at their clubs because they’ve got foreigners around. That’s rubbish. Phil Foden’s performances and Jude Bellingham’s performances were because of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham, not because they have foreigners around them. Likewise, Harry Kane.

“I can certainly say, thanks to my own brief foray with England, that you feel that you have to play this mythical thing called international football that is more cerebral, that is more intelligent, so you end up doing things you normally wouldn’t, and that’s where the passing along the back comes from.

England have a massive inferiority complex says Stan Collymore

“[…] I think we’ve got to have a look at what are the hallmarks of English football. One is tempo, two is intensity, three is aggression, and four is attacking, and I think we actually need to have those as cornerstones.

“A lot of the guys that play for England now, they have seen the Barcelona of 2011 and the Spanish sides of 2008-2012, and gone “we need to keep possession and slow the tempo,” but that’s the antithesis of what the very best of English football is about.

“If you want proof, every time that we went behind in the Euros, we upped the tempo, upped the aggression and got back in the game.”

Although one never had a feeling that England were a team that sometimes played like a ‘frightened rabbit in the headlights,’ there was very much a feeling, particularly against Spain, that the Three Lions were always going for the safety first option.

That things were a little cagey and no one really wanted to put their head above the parapet and grab the game by the scruff of the neck like the Turkish or Georgian sides were doing in their games, for example.

If England are consistently making it to the business end of tournaments, then the players need to puff out their chests and play brave, front foot, attacking football.

They deserve to be in such esteemed company, so it’s about time that English football and England footballers believed it.

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Premier League manager has been tracked by FA for years and is on shortlist to replace Southgate

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:13:56 +0000

The process to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager appears to have already begun in earnest, and one Premier League candidate in particular has apparently been tracked for years.

After coming so close yet to winning a major trophy but failing at the final hurdle yet again, Southgate’s disappointment will be palpable, however, he can leave safe in the knowledge that he has altered the course of the national team for the better.

FA looking at Ange Postecoglou to replace Gareth Southgate

Old wounds still remain and in many respects the job is a poisoned chalice, however, the Three Lions are consistently challenging at the business end of tournaments now, so whomever comes in his stead can take their cue from what’s worked for Southgate and hone it a little more.

According to The Independent (subscription required), Tottenham Hotspur’s brilliant manager, Ange Postecoglou, is a person of interest, and the outlet note that FA technical director, John McDermott, has followed the Australian’s career with interest for a number of years.

The FA are looking at Ange Postecoglou as a potential replacement for Gareth Southgate.

Certainly, the way in which he’s transformed the North Londoners has got everyone sitting up and taking notice, but given how well he did at Celtic previously, no one should really be surprised.

Whether Postecoglou would consider moving on again so soon, particularly to a job which appears to have chewed up and spat out some of the best managers in the world, is a moot point at this stage.

Once the Football Association have drawn up their shortlist of names, they’ll be able to whittle it down one by one based on a number of factors and criteria.

Should Postecoglou be their choice, the FA will then need to set about trying to persuade the manager that the role is right for him, and Daniel Levy in terms of compensation.

Neither conversation is likely to be easy.

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Opinion: Pep Guardiola will tarnish his legacy forever if he takes the England job

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:44:40 +0000

Alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola is arguably the best manager that English football has ever seen.

In terms of legacy, it could be argued that the Catalan will have left more of a mark on the game in this country more generally than Fergie, whose fingerprints are all over Old Trafford.

Both masters of their craft, Guardiola has seen a shift in how football is played in both Spanish and German football too.

Pep Guardiola must reject England job if offered

His legacy isn’t in question, but news that the Football Association are prepared to wait a year for him in order that he becomes the long term replacement for Gareth Southgate (Independent) threatens that.

The job is a poisoned chalice.

It’s taken the best part of six decades for English football to be considered back amongst the elite internationally, but even then the country has had to be content with second best – at best.

Pep Guardiola has been touted as Gareth Southgate’s replacement for England

Forever the bridesmaid, always the bride.

The mentality at international level in England is all wrong, and that can be seen by how supposed world-beating players for their individual clubs turn into average players for the Three Lions.

Two cases in point during Euro 2024 were Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.

Lauded by the press as being amongst England’s best players, apart from a couple of goals the pair did nothing all tournament.

Pep would have to change the entire culture at St. George’s Park, and the staid and stuffy executives at the FA aren’t for turning.

If he wants to preserve what is a richly deserved legacy, then he simply has no choice. He cannot accept the overtures from an increasingly desperate Football Association who are light years behind their European counterparts.

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Man United make Southgate decision in case things go awry with ten Hag

Jason Pettigrove — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:14:36 +0000

News that Gareth Southgate has stepped down from the England job will no doubt have piqued the interest of a number of clubs.

There were clear signs that Euro 2024 might be Southgate’s last tournament in charge of the national team, however, as the Three Lions made their way to another final, a school of thought that suggested the FA wanted him to stay on wasn’t without merit.

Man United make definitive Southgate decision

Before Man United decided to continue with the services of Erik ten Hag, there were cogent reasons to believe that Old Trafford might well have been Southgate’s next destination.

According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are already making contingency plans just in case things don’t work out with the Dutchman.

The club have a definitive idea of who they would want as their next manager in that eventuality, and the outlet note that they would turn to Thomas Tuchel assuming he was still available, and not Southgate.

Man United won’t turn to Gareth Southgate if things go wrong with Erik ten Hag

Indeed, it may well be that the former England manager would now feel that the time is right for a sabbatical not unlike that which Jurgen Klopp is taking, before getting back into the game at a time Southgate feels is right for him.

The pressure of being in charge of the Three Lions, particularly when you’re coming so close to breaking England’s decades-long search for a trophy, is bound to take its toll.

At least now there can be no doubt that when Southgate does finally decide that the time is right to get back into club management, it won’t be at Old Trafford.

Tuchel’s way of playing is certainly in sharp contrast to Southgate’s and probably more in line with the style that ten Hag is trying to implement at United.

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Jurgen Klopp makes decision on England job following Gareth Southgate’s exit

Darren Looney — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 21:14:03 +0000

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will not replace Gareth Southgate as England coach following the 53-year-old’s decision to step down from his role with the Three Lions.

It was confirmed on Tuesday that Southgate would resign as manager of England following their Euro 2024 campaign in Germany. The former defender guided the Three Lions to the final in Berlin but they fell short having succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Spain.

This leaves England looking for a new coach for the first time in eight years and having recently left his role as Liverpool manager, many fans wanted to see the FA approach legendary coach Jurgen Klopp.

However, it is being reported by The Telegraph that the German will not be available to replace Southgate in time for the start of the World Cup qualifiers as the former Reds manager has no intention of returning to top-level management for another 12 months.

The report says that it will be July 2025 before the 57-year-old is ready to take on a new project.

That means the FA would have to begin their World Cup qualification with a caretaker or interim manager before they could entertain the idea of Klopp taking over in the build-up to the 2026 tournament.

Jurgen Klopp not ready to take over as England manager

Jurgen Klopp is correct to take a break from football

Klopp was recently approached by the United States to gauge his interest in replacing Gregg Berhalter as manager of the country’s national team, but the German did not enter any formal discussions with the 2026 World Cup co-hosts.

It is clear that the former Liverpool boss intends to take a proper break having been coaching teams for the last 23 years.

Gareth Southgate could have made decision to resign before Euro 2024 says BBC man

Darren Looney — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 15:15:40 +0000

BBC pundit Alan Shearer thinks Gareth Southgate could have decided to leave his role as England coach before Euro 2024 and admits he “wasn’t surprised” to see the 53-year-old walk away.

Southgate guided the Three Lions to the final of the European Championship in Germany but ultimately came up short as his team were defeated 2-1 by Spain in Sunday’s final in Berlin.

The 53-year-old was heavily scrutinised throughout the tournament as a result of England’s performances and the Three Lions boss showed signs of the criticism getting to him, which had never been seen before.

Although England have been a pragmatic team over the last eight years, it has been a very successful period for the nation having reached two Euros finals and a World Cup semi-final.

BBC pundit Alan Shearer has been full of praise for Southgate following his decision to walk away from the England job and also thinks that the former Middlesborough boss could have decided his future before Euro 2024 had the Three Lions done well.

Gareth Southgate has stepped down from the England job

Did Gareth Southgate decide to leave England before Euro 2024?

Follwing the news of Southgate’s departure, Shearer shared his thoughts on the 53-year-old to the BBC, saying: “I wasn’t surprised. Maybe he made his mind up before the tournament if England were to go on and win it.

“What I do know is that he should be applauded for everything that he has done. He has taken England from rock bottom after that Iceland result in 2016 to a semi-final and finals.

“We said during this Euros they might not have played as well as they could have, but the atmosphere he has created helped them through to another final.

“In the bigger picture, Gareth should be applauded for everything he has done with England. The expectation is now you have to get to finals and win trophies.”

Sky Sports pundit believes England job took “a toll” on Gareth Southgate

Darren Looney — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 14:32:04 +0000

Sky Sports and ITV pundit Gary Neville believes the England job took “a toll” on Gareth Southgate following the news that the 53-year-old has stepped down from his role as coach.

Southgate held the role for eight years and having originally been met with a lot of pessimism, the former defender has gone on to become one of the most successful Three Lions bosses ever.

The 53-year-old took his squad to two European Championship finals and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2018.

More importantly, he brought the England players closer together and made the camp a happier place by taking some of the media pressure off of his team. Some of the nation’s biggest stars over the last eight years would run to hell and back for Southgate, which says everything about his time in charge of the Three Lions.

Gary Neville believes that the former Middlesborough manager “exceeded all expectations” and has done an outstanding job throughout his reign. However, the Sky Sports pundit also feels that the role took “a toll” on the 53-year-old.

Gareth Southgate has left his role as England coach

Gary Neville on Gareth Southgate’s time as England coach

Speaking about Southgate’s time as England coach, Neville has praised the 53-year-old and his work to make the England camp a more harmonious place.

“He has had an amazing eight years and exceeded all expectations of every single England fan,” he told Sky Sports via BBC. “He deserves to call it a day on his own terms, and he has done that. He knows England better than anybody. It was the right moment for him, he has done an outstanding job.

“He has achieved incredible things on the pitch, but he has also achieved incredible things off the pitch. How difficult it is to manage the politics of England, the media, the club-versus-country rivalries which existed, he has removed a lot of those barriers. He has handled penalties better than anybody, reduced the fear, so he has done an incredible job, but it will have taken a toll on him.”

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