FA Want Pep Guardiola to Replace Gareth Southgate as England Boss
The FA have reportedly decided on the man they want to replace Gareth Southgate as England boss, and that is Pep Guardiola. Appointing the Manchester City boss won’t be straightforward, though, and the Three Lions would have to wait a year before they have the chance to hire him, something they’re willing to do.
After eight years, Southgate’s time in charge of England came to an end shortly after his side lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain. The defeat marked the second time in a row that the team had fallen at the final hurdle in the European Championship, having been bested by Italy via a penalty shootout in 2021.
It felt as though the manager had taken England as far as he could, and he decided to step down a couple of days after Euro 2024 wrapped up. Attention swiftly turned to who would step in to take over from the former Middlesbrough man. Considering the work he’s done to rebuild the team as a formidable side, there are some big boots to fill. A recent report revealed that there were seven candidates in the running for the job, but the FA apparently know who they want to take his place, and that is Guardiola.
England Will Have to Wait Until 2025 for Guardiola
They are prepared to do so
According to The Independent, The FA have decided that Guardiola is the man that they want, but there’s a catch. They will have to wait until 2025 to appoint him as his Manchester City contract won’t expire until next summer. This is something that they are prepared to do, though, and there’s a chance that they simply hire an interim to stand in until he’s available.
There’s no word as of yet as to whether the former Barcelona man would be interested in taking over as the Three Lions boss, and it’s a pretty big gamble to sit around and wait for 12 months before hiring a permanent manager when it’s unclear whether he’ll actually be up for taking the job. There are plenty of other names in the running, though.
Guardiola Isn’t the Only Name in the Running
There are several other high profile figures being considered
If Guardiola doesn’t take charge of England, they aren’t exactly short of potential options. According to a recent report, there are seven other names in the running. Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe is one, and Jamie Carragher believes he’s the man that the FA should be prioritising right now.
Graham Potter, Lee Carsley, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are several other figures who are considered to have a good chance at landing the role. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are apparently also in the running, but are classed as outside shots compared to the rest. None of this will matter, though, if England get their way and they land the man that they want and that is Guardiola.
