Gareth Southgate ‘enjoying life' and not actively seeking management return
It is 13 months since the former defender called time on his successful eight-year stint as national team boss in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain in Berlin.
Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals, as well as runs to the World Cup semi-finals and quarter-finals, after stepping up from the under-21s role in 2016.
England manager Gareth Southgate left after Euro 2024 (Bradley Collyer/PA)
The 54-year-old suggested during his time out of the game that his next job could be away from football and says he is in no rush to return to the dugout.
'I'm enjoying my life,' Southgate told the PA news agency. 'I've got quite a lot on.
'I'm in the middle of writing a book, I've got several business interests. I do some work on leadership, help with some young coaches.
'But I've also got time to travel and play a bit of golf, play a bit of paddle tennis, so yeah, I'm very much enjoying that balance.'
Asked whether he is looking at returning to management or if the future lies in something else, Southgate said: 'You can't say never to anything because 15 years ago I left Middlesbrough and I wasn't certain I would manage then.
'Then I ended up on a strange path into managing the national team. But it's not something I'm actively looking at at the moment.'
Southgate's sojourn meant eyebrows were raised when speculation emanated from Poland in June that his return to management could be with their national team.
'I am kind of used to it,' he said of the rumours about him. 'I mean, I was linked with the Poland job, which I knew nothing about, so that was a strange one.
'Something gets written and then it's reported everywhere, but yeah, there's probably a lot of others, but I kind of accept it now for what it is.'
Current England boss Thomas Tuchel joined Southgate at the PFA Awards (Martin Rickett/PA)
Southgate was speaking at the PFA Awards in Manchester, where he picked the PFA Merit Award recognising his contributions to football and achievements with England.
Thomas Tuchel is looking to build on those foundations and lead the team to glory at next summer's World Cup and was another in attendance at the event at the Manchester Opera House.
'I think they've obviously got lots of good players,' Southgate said of the current England side. 'There is, as always, some exciting young players coming through.
'It's important for me not to say too much more than that, really, because I don't want to step on Thomas' toes at all.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sonia O'Sullivan criticises Adeleke for not being 'entirely open and honest'
Sonia O'Sullivan had been critical of Rhasidat Adeleke's 'vague' post on Instagram announcing her 2024/25 racing season as Texas-based Adeleke did not mention the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo by name but it was clear that attending the September (13-21st ) event was not under will mean the 200m and 400m runner turning her attention to the 2026 season with the World Indoors in Poland in March, the European Championship in Birmingham in August and the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September. None of those three competitions will hold anything like the prestige of the World Championships. O'Sullivan remains Ireland's most successful female track and field athlete, a silver medalist in the 5,000m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics making her Ireland's only female track and field medalist in history. "My first concern for Rhasidat Adeleke right now is that she's not being entirely open or honest," she told the Irish Times. "Not just with herself but with some of the people around her."This was her take last Monday's Instagram post direct from Adeleke's own site, slightly unusual in that it didn't have a statement from her management company or coach running had this occurred during his scholarship time at the University of Texas in Austin and running for their famous Texas Longhorns brand there would have been a bulletin from their communications having foregone her final year at university to turn professional on a Nike contract, she now trains with an international group in Texas that also contains athletes such as Julien Alfred, Dina Asher-Smith and Ackelia 27 and from St Lucia, is the reigning womens 100m Olympic gold medalist; the UK's Asher-Smith, 29, was a 200m gold medalist at the 2019 World Championships; Jamaican Smith, 23, is a O'Sullivan of the lack of clarity: "Without more transparency, it's hard to assess what exactly is going on."Even her posting a message on Instagram on Monday night struck me as odd."Adeleke is one of Ireland's most recognised and popular athletes and I don't think putting out a vague message on social media was the best way to deal with her withdrawal from the World Championships in Tokyo."There have been a number of theories put forward as to why Adeleke has called time on her athletic activities for the she has not posted high-end competitive times at 400m or athlete who had run a Irish national record of 49.07 to help win a silver medal at the Europeans in 2024, logged 2025 times of 50.42, 50.48 and 51.3 as June progressed to 200m times have not been scorching either, she is currently ranked 36th in the it was the Instagram statement O'Sullivan was critical of merely read: "Lingering injuries and continuous setbacks made it increasingly difficult to train and perform at the level I expect from myself."Following yet another recent roadblock, I'm saddened to share that I am unable to finish out the season."I'll take this time to heal, recover and do what's necessary so I can show up next season as my best self, mind and body."Adelele turns 23 next month, still considered young for 400m sprinters who mature and get to their peak in the late-20s to early 30s. At the same time, there is concern that Adeleke's bio-mechanics may be damaged and there may be need for a procedure or a full-blown operation which could lengthen her time away from the track.
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Arsenal set to hijack Tottenham's move for Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze
Arsenal are set to hijack north London rivals Tottenham's pursuit of Eberechi Eze as they await news on Kai Havertz' knee injury. As late as Tuesday Spurs appeared to be in the driving seat for the forward, with talks progressing over a deal for the 27-year-old. However, the PA news agency understands the Gunners are now exploring a move, with reports suggesting the England international prefers a switch to Mikel Arteta's side. Arsenal could be set to beat north London rivals Tottenham in the race to sign Eberechi Eze (John Walton/PA) Their interest has accelerated after Havertz was forced off in Sunday's victory over Manchester United, although sources insist it is still too early to give a prognosis on the Germany international. Eze, whose £68million release clause expired on Friday, played 84 minutes of the weekend draw at Chelsea and trained on Wednesday ahead of Palace's Conference League play-off at home to Fredrikstad, with head coach Oliver Glasner insisting he and captain Marc Guehi, a target for Liverpool, would start the European tie. 'Before Chelsea I think many of you were surprised that Marc and Ebs started and played almost the whole game,' he said. Eze is set to start the Europa Conference League play-off on Thursday (John Walton/PA) 'Most of you will be surprised that they will start again tomorrow because of all the rumours. But again, they are committed.' Eze was released by Arsenal as a 13-year-old.
The 42
6 hours ago
- The 42
Blow for Ireland as Aoife Wafer ruled out of World Cup opener against Japan due to injury
IRELAND BACKROW AOIFE Wafer will miss the opening World Cup game against Japan due to injury. Wafer has yet to arrive in the UK, instead remaining home in Dublin before joining the squad this weekend. Wafer, who injured her knee both in the final Six Nations game against Scotland and then again in preseason training prior to this World Cup, underwent surgery in early July. She was still named in Ireland's 32-strong squad despite the set-back. Ireland began their on-pitch preparation for their opener at Franklin's Gardens on Tuesday without their key backrow. Advertisement '31 players have come through training,' confirmed Ireland assistant coach Larissa Muldoon. 'Aoife Wafer stayed at home just to work on a few bits of rehab. She will join us next week in preparation, looking into Spain.' Wafer was left at home in Dublin as World Rugby rules dictate that once a player arrives in a World Cup host nation, they must be replaced should they return home. This is to avoid scenarios where countries located close to the World Cup – such as Ireland – can send players home for treatment more easily than rivals who face greater travel distances. Permission can be granted in certain cases, as Ireland themselves learned during the most recent men's World Cup. Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey was cleared to return to the squad after returning home for the birth of his child. Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon, who missed both World Cup warm-up matches with her own knee injury, trained with the squad on Tuesday and Wednesday. 'She's a massive personality back in the group, amazing leader,' said Muldoon. 'The girls just stride around her. It's fantastic to have her back in the environment and the standards she sets.' Muldoon reiterated that Ireland's backrow stocks remain strong despite the concerns surrounding Wafer and McMahon, while also pointing to her satisfaction with the training displays since landing in Northampton. 'We had a few down days, the girls were really itching. We had our install yesterday, we wanted to go, we were definitely ready to attack the day. 'We had a fantastic session, one of our best. What I loved is everything we were going after last week and this week, technical and tactical, translated to on the pitch. So some of the girls put their hand up. 'People forget the like of Claire Boles have come back in,' said the former Ireland scrumhalf. 'Ivana Kiripati has come through the U20s pathway. [There are] amazing players coming through and giving us that element of compete in our training environment and identity, which is all a part of this green wave.'
