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Who should replace Gareth Southgate as England manager?
England and ex-head coach Gareth Southgate parting ways has opened the door to speculation about the next Three Lions manager.
After 102 matches as England manager, Southgate leaves with his head held high after reaching two European Championship finals, and the semifinal of the 2018 World Cup, but who should be drafted as the former Middlesbrough defender as Three Lions manager?
Jurgen Klopp
After announcing his exit from Liverpool this summer, Jurgen Klopp has been courted by several clubs and countries and, following Southgate’s departure from the Three Lions, England could become the latest team to offer the German manager a job.
Klopp called time on his Liverpool career after seven successful years at Anfield which saw him claim every available trophy at least once, and is currently seen as one of the best managers in the world at the moment, but the likelihood of the ex-Borussia Dortmund manager joining England seem very low.
While announcing his exit from Liverpool, Klopp said he was going on a sabbatical away from football to focus on family and appears to be keen on keeping to his word after allegedly rejecting offers to join Barcelona and the USA national team since leaving Liverpool.
Jose Mourinho
Arguably one of the greatest managers of all time, England getting Jose Mourinho to replace Southgate as coach of the Three Lions would be a major coup, especially as the Portuguese manager has only recently joined Fenerbahce on a two-year contract which ends in 2026.
Apart from the fees that would be required to break Mourinho’s €10.5 million a year contract with Fenerbahce, the Special One would also likely be unwilling to leave the Yellow Canaries after making several commitments to the club during his unveiling in June.
Although Mourinho has previously stated his interest in international management, he seems more biased toward managing his native Portugal and is also still keen on reviving his club management career.
While Mourinho has the most impressive CV of managers linked with the England job, he also seems like the least likely manager to join the Three Lions as Southgate’s replacement.
Thomas Tuchel
Former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel could be tempted back into management after leaving Bayern Munich this summer.
The German manager made his name coaching Borussia Dortmund and has had great success with teams like Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, winning the 2021 UEFA Champions League with the Blues.
Tuchel is known as one of the most tactically shrewd managers of his generation but is also known for his abrasive nature, which has rubbed previous employers the wrong way, meaning he could be a wildcard for the strict England FA and their hard and fast ways.
Mauricio Pochettino
Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino has also been touted as a possible solution for England having already stated that he would be open to the role in the past.
Pochettino has experience managing several players in the current Three Lions set-up, including England’s all-time top scorer Harry Kane, as well as Luke Shaw, Kyle Walker, Cole Palmer, and Conor Gallagher.
His experience coaching in three of the top five leagues in Europe, especially his time with Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain will be invaluable to England.
Pochettino is also the only ex-international football player on the list, and having played for Argentina at the Copa America and World Cup has tournament experience that the other coaches do not.
Graham Potter
The former Chelsea and Brighton coach is the current favourite to land the England gig, especially if the Three Lions choose to stick with the tradition of hiring English coaches.
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In England’s 78 years, only two foreign managers have coached the Three Lions and the FA could consider keeping the faith with another compatriot following Southgate’s exit.
Potter is the top English name being considered for the role after an impressive spell with Brighton in the Premier League, where he took the Seagulls from relegation contenders to European hopefuls in three short years.
His failure with Chelsea put a dent in his reputation, but he is still seen as one of the best managerial talents in the country and could be the man for the Three Lions.
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