England next manager contenders: Who could replace Gareth Southgate?

Gareth Southgate has announced he is to end his reign as England manager after leading the team to the final of Euro 2024, where they were defeated 2-1 by Spain.

Southgate has enjoyed some euphoric highs during his time in charge — reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020 (and 2024) — but still fell short of winning a first major tournament for England since 1966.

You can read the full story of his final tournament here. But now his era is over, who should replace him?

Our experts assess the possible candidates, analysing their suitability for the job, what the reaction would be if they were to get it and how likely it is they will be targeted.

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Pep Guardiola

What are the chances of getting him?

Guardiola has one year left on his contract at City and has often talked about his desire to manage a national team at a major tournament. As a proud Catalan, it is unlikely he would ever manage Spain due to political reasons (unless he wanted to meet his critics head-on) and he has talked about countries like Italy and Argentina having to continue with managers from their own country.

England have long since broken the tradition of sticking with English managers and Guardiola could easily set up a base in London but spend a lot of his time with family in Barcelona. He would have top players, many of which he has coached or have been coached in a broadly similar style to his, so there are plenty of reasons it could happen.

Sam Lee

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

In theory, he is a good fit tactically because of what the England players are used to at their clubs and how English football overall has developed in the past decade, partly due to Guardiola’s influence. But in the Euros the England team showed too often that they have not yet been dragged kicking and screaming into the modern era just yet: think about Jordan Pickford aimlessly booting the ball down the pitch in the first game against Serbia, or Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo failing to get on the ball when Pickford did actually try to play shorter against Slovakia.

Guardiola would be the man to come in and complete the cycle of English football’s evolution. When looking at The Athletic’s playstyle wheel, which outlines how a team look to play compared with Europe’s top seven domestic leagues, Guardiola’s City came close to completing football in and out of possession last season.

How would it be received?

For all the memes and generally tribal-driven dislike of Guardiola in some quarters, appointing him England manager would probably be regarded as a dream come true for the vast majority of England fans. He is as close to a guarantee of success as you can get and he would make England truly feared. The average football fan does generally seem to prefer more open, chaotic football, though, and there might be a cultural clash at some point.

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Jurgen Klopp

What are the chances of getting him?

Slim. Klopp vowed to have at least 12 months off from management to recharge his batteries after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season. The 57-year-old felt he had run out of energy following eight and a half years in charge at Anfield.

Since his emotional goodbye on Merseyside, he has largely divided his time between the German city of Mainz and his house on the Spanish island of Mallorca. He’s been spotted dancing along to Taylor Swift at Anfield, catching up with old friends at the Euros in his homeland and playing his beloved padel. It would be a major surprise if he was willing to cut short his sabbatical.

He also rebuffed an approach from the United States Soccer Federation to take over as the men’s national team head coach following the dismissal of Gregg Berhalter.

James Pearce

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

He’s the polar opposite of Gareth Southgate. Klopp favours a high defensive line and a high press designed to win the ball back at the earliest opportunity when possession is lost — as shown by their playstyle wheel below.

It’s high risk, high reward — always playing on the front foot, always trying to seize the initiative. None of this cautious nonsense. Looking at their “Patient attack” metric below (23 out of 99), it’s clear that Klopp likes his side to go for the throat and punish the opposition as soon as they possibly can.

Klopp would be a breath of fresh air tactically and man-management-wise, he’s already proven he can get the best out of elite talent and foster a sense of unity and togetherness.

How would it be received?

This would be a huge coup and while Klopp may not quite have Guardiola’s trophy record, his style of football is probably a more natural fit and easier to implement within the short training windows of international breaks.

Klopp was not always popular among rival fan bases — but in all likelihood, this would quickly be forgotten. There is a sense that this is a manager you would love to be with, but hate to be against.

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Mauricio Pochettino

What are the chances of getting him?

Pochettino is very much available; his most recent coaching gig was leading the World XI at Stamford Bridge for Soccer Aid last month.

More than six weeks have passed since he and Chelsea mutually parted ways after just one season together and the agreement reached to cut short his two-year guaranteed contract would provide no impediment if England came calling.

Despite being a proud Argentine, Pochettino made explicit his enthusiasm for the prospect as far back as 2017 in Guillem Balague’s book Brave New World: “If I were to be an international manager one day, I’d relish the opportunity to coach the England national team.”

Liam Twomey

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

Pochettino’s preferred style is grounded in high intensity and pressing and Chelsea’s numbers for last season point to a side that did not step off when out of possession (intensity: 89 out of 99).

Issues in both penalty boxes were a key narrative of Chelsea’s season. Their underlying chance creation (83 out of 99) was strong, but it seemed to come at the expense of a poor defensive record (chance prevention: 32 out of 99). Chelsea’s 1.4 non-penalty expected goals conceded per 90 minutes invariably gave them a mountain to climb in each match and Pochettino struggled to find that balance for a lot of the season.

As unglamorous as it may sound, international football is grounded in having strong defensive foundations and Pochettino did not showcase that in his most recent time in the dugout.

How would it be received?

Again, Pochettino is a big name who has generally been popular during his time in the Premier League — although there is a feeling that, after failures at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, the latter somewhat out of his control, he is not the guaranteed success of Guardiola and Klopp.

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Graham Potter

What are the chances of getting him?

There are no club hurdles to overcome, as Potter is currently still unemployed. It has been that way since he was sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 after less than seven months at Stamford Bridge.

Potter has been linked with multiple posts at home and abroad. His instant availability only fuels the suspicion that the England job is the one he is waiting for. He said in an interview with The Athletic in 2021 when he was in charge of Brighton: “It’s nothing I’ve thought of that much, but we’re on this planet once and you want to try and have as many positive experiences as you can. I’m pretty sure that is a fantastic opportunity, an amazing experience.”

Andy Naylor

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

Potter’s stock understandably dropped after his short, unsuccessful stint at Chelsea last season, but his track record has shown that — when given the time and opportunity — he has consistently improved individual and team performance, most notably during his three seasons as De Zerbi’s predecessor at Brighton.

One of Potter’s strengths is his capacity to develop young players. He arrived at Brighton as Dan Ashworth (then-technical director) was churning the squad and trying to lower the average age. Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Trossard, Robert Sanchez and Marc Cucurella made Premier League debuts under Potter, improved and were sold for significant fees to ‘Big Six’ Premier League sides.

That is particularly relevant, style aside, when considering the glut of young talent England have at their disposal. With the right tactical mind behind them, the task of maximising the potential of such skilled players would be one that would suit Potter perfectly.

How would it be received?

Perhaps unfairly, Potter may be considered a candidate in the Southgate mould, which could count against him publicly — though Southgate’s major tournament success speaks for itself. Potter both has more managerial experience than Southgate did and plays a more progressive brand of football — though his spell at Chelsea does raise questions over how he would deal with the scale of attention the job demands.

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Eddie Howe

What are the chances of getting him?

“In the short term, it is not on my radar at all. It is all Newcastle and trying to make this team better.” This was Eddie Howe talking about England a couple of years ago and make Newcastle United better he certainly has, lifting them from the relegation positions, taking them to fourth place in the Premier League, to the Champions League and a cup final.

That list of achievements is precisely what would make the 46-year-old an attractive proposition for the FA, building on his transformative spell at Bournemouth to become the highest-profile English manager currently working in the Premier League. It is also why Newcastle want to keep him. Howe’s “long-term” contract is believed to stretch until at least 2026.

Howe has previously said that being removed from day-to-day coaching “is not something I want to do”, but it is a different matter to actually be offered it and it has been a bruising few months at Newcastle. Would he be more open to the prospect now? Interestingly, his close allies among the ownership, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, have recently departed. The FA can only ask and surely they will.

George Caulkin

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

Howe has transformed Newcastle since he joined in November 2021, with a front-footed, aggressive style in and out of possession — most commonly in a 4-3-3 setup.

The graphic below shows the evolution of Newcastle’s playing style from Steve Bruce’s time through to Howe’s. As you can see, Newcastle have become far more possession-based and territorially dominant (Field tilt), as they look to squeeze the pitch (High line) and press the opposition where possible (Intensity).

Despite a rocky defensive display last season (Chance prevention), Howe has improved his side’s attack immensely and brought Newcastle into a 21st-century style of football that had been lacking in the north east for a long time.

How would it be received?

Howe has always been underrated — after taking Bournemouth from League Two to the Premier League and keeping them there, there was hardly a clamour for his services after he subsequently left the club.

This slight apathy would probably follow him into the England job — particularly compared to the profiles of some of the names above — but he would be a sensible and uncontroversial figure.

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Thomas Tuchel

What are the chances of getting him?

Contractually there are no problems. Tuchel left Bayern Munich at the end of last season and is still a free agent.

Whether he would be willing is another question. His time at Bayern was exhausting. A fight with the board over the need for a defensive midfielder lasted almost the whole of his final season. And, in the weeks before he left Allianz Arena, Tuchel was engaged in a public disagreement with Uli Hoeness about whether he could properly develop young players.

When Bayern U-turned and attempted to keep Tuchel beyond the summer, one of the reasons he resisted was because he had jaded. Most likely, he will take some time away from the game before considering another offer — and when one arrives, there will be better opportunities than England.

Seb Stafford-Bloor

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

Despite a disappointing season relative to Bayern’s standards, the underlying numbers from Tuchel’s side show how dominant they have still been in both boxes. Competing with a history-making, invincible Bayer Leverkusen side was not part of the plan, but Bayern’s 1.6 xG difference per 90 — which accounts for the quality of chances created and conceded — was the best of any side across Europe’s top five leagues.

Tuchel’s tactical acumen is undeniable, but question marks over his temperament might be a factor that works against him. Across his three most recent roles at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, he averaged a tenure of one year, nine months and 15 days. International football is different, of course, but if England are looking for a long-term vision, Tuchel might not be the best man to hand the keys to.

How would it be received?

With interest, if not with unequivocal joy. Tuchel is another big-name manager, but his likelihood of long-term success feels far more boom-and-bust than other candidates. His work at Chelsea means that he is rated by followers of the Premier League, who might not have followed his struggles at Bayern — though his slightly cold public demeanour means his leash might not be as long as the likes of Pochettino or Klopp.

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Lee Carsley

What are the chances of getting him?

Carsley would be the easiest of all the candidates to appoint to replace Southgate: the Football Association would simply be negotiating with themselves. Carsley has been the manager of England Under-21s for three years, having previously coached the under-19 and under-20 teams, and having had other specialist coaching roles in the England setup before that. This means that, like Southgate before him, Carsley has years of experience in the St George’s Park setup and understands better than anyone what ‘England DNA’ means.

The only issue would be whether Carsley wanted the job. Although the fact he turned down the chance to manage the Republic of Ireland — the team that he played for internationally — last year does give some indication that he might see his future coaching in England instead. Maybe he is waiting for a club management job, or perhaps he has his eyes on the job at the top of his current organisation.

Jack Pitt-Brooke

How do they play and are they a good fit tactically?

After Carsley led England Under-21s to the European Championship last summer, he spoke more about his players’ roles being more important than their positions. Attack-minded midfielders Curtis Jones and Angel Gomes were deployed in holding roles, while winger Anthony Gordon spearheaded the attack as a No 9.

“We try not to be too restrictive on playing in a certain position, it’s more the role and the responsibility in the area of the pitch they’re in,” Carsley said in an interview with Talksport. “As opposed to seeing them in positions, have they got the profile and attributes (we want)? And they all have.”

It speaks to the flexibility required within international football and is something Carsley has been honing since joining the England national setup — on and off — since 2015.

How would it be received?

The English public would be unimpressed. Ascending from the under-21 job may have worked for Southgate, but it is worth remembering that his appointment was initially only temporary. The England team were also at a far lower ebb, while Southgate had far greater name recognition.

Carsley does interesting things tactically, but that would be unlikely to sway public opinion from seeing him as an uninspired appointment. Highly rated within the FA, he could yet prove them wrong.

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Sarina Wiegman

What are the chances of getting her?

Highly unlikely. Wiegman has only just renewed her contract with the Lionesses, signing a new three-year deal until the end of the 2027 World Cup. Her extension, announced in January, shows she feels there is more potential to come from the European Champions and World Cup finalists and she has, in her words, “unfinished business” with the women’s team.

Much has been made of the pay discrepancy between Wiegman and Southgate, particularly as her new contract followed Emma Hayes becoming the highest-paid women’s football manager when she was appointed USWNT coach in November.

“We view Sarina as the No 1 coach in the world in the women’s game and we view that she’s paid accordingly,” FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said when asked about Wiegman’s salary.

Charlotte Harpur

How does she play and is she a good fit tactically?

However you want to outline Wiegman’s tactical style, there is a clear current running through it — success. After leading England Women to the 2022 European Championship, she became the first manager to win the competition with two different countries. Wiegman knows how to navigate through a major international tournament. Within those tournaments, she rarely shuffles the pack. Wiegman named the same starting XI across every Euro 2022 game with scheduled substitutions at scheduled times.

The 2023 World Cup did bring more pragmatism. Wiegman shifted from her favoured 4-3-3 formation to a 3-4-1-2 after the third group game, which she stuck with through to the final where England narrowly missed out to Spain.

Dominant, creative, attacking football is essential to Wiegman’s style and she has shown that she can unlock the potential in her squad to win major tournaments at the international level.

How would it be received?

This would be one of the most surprising but significant appointments in international history and there would be questions asked. Just as Phil Neville was rightfully critiqued for his lack of experience in women’s football after getting the England Women job, so too could the inverse be levelled at Wiegman.

But it is also undeniable that she would receive a realm of unfair questions because of her gender — if this is to happen, there needs to be a conversation about factions of the England fanbase and misogyny.

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Thomas Frank

What are the chances of getting him?

Thomas Frank has been in high demand this summer and his representatives held talks with Chelsea before they appointed Enzo Maresca as their new head coach. Frank met senior figures from Manchester United ahead of the FA Cup final, but they stuck with Erik ten Hag. It feels like he will not be at Brentford for much longer and taking over England would represent a significant step up.

At this stage of his career, Frank wants to remain in club football, although managing his native Denmark is something he would like to do in the long-term future. Denmark’s head coach Kasper Hjulmand is under pressure after they failed to win a game at the Euros, following their group-stage exit at the World Cup. Even if Hjulmand loses his job, expect Frank to stay at Brentford.

Jay Harris

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

Frank would bring a clear tactical philosophy. His 5-3-2 formation is combative, disciplined, and a nightmare to play against. In the past three seasons, only Brighton have taken more than Brentford’s 35 points against the ‘Big Six’, with the west London side securing two wins over Manchester City, three over Chelsea, and a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.

Equally, his ability to shift his side to a 4-3-3 across the season shows a tactical versatility that would be highly suited to international football.

The fact that Frank has overseen Brentford’s rise into the Premier League for the first time and has now kept them there for three consecutive seasons speaks to the transformative job he has performed. He is an experienced coach and a good motivator boasting long-term success.

How would it be received?

Frank is a manager who appears to be universally rated across the Premier League, without ever quite being rated enough to ascend into one of the league’s top jobs. That said, his comfort at Brentford means he has not been desperate in seeking those roles out.

Personable with the media and playing a progressive brand of football, the Dane is an outsider, but one whose appointment would not feel like a huge risk.

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Frank Lampard

What are the chances of getting him?

Lampard coached England only a month ago, against Pochettino’s World XI in Soccer Aid 2024 at Stamford Bridge. He has been on the lookout for new coaching opportunities since finishing a disastrous caretaker spell at Chelsea in May 2023 and was a candidate for the Canada national team job earlier this year.

That signalled Lampard’s openness towards international management and, given his 106 caps put him eighth in all-time appearances for his country, it is likely that the England senior men’s job would rank alongside Chelsea at the very top of his coaching ambitions. If he were offered the opportunity, it would be stunning if he did not jump at the chance.

Liam Twomey

How does he play and is he a good fit tactically?

Given the contrasting remits that Lampard has had in the dugout, it is difficult to say what tactical approach he truly wishes to implement. A promotion-chasing Derby County, a title-chasing Chelsea during a transfer ban, and a relegation-battling Everton require very different styles of coaching and management.

A theme taken largely from his Derby and Chelsea management would be that Lampard does favour a possession-based approach within a 4-3-3 structure with rotating triangles between his No 8, winger and full-back in wide areas. At Everton, Lampard was forced to elect a more pragmatic approach to nullify the strengths of the opposition, switching between a 4-3-3, 5-4-1 and 3-4-3 setup.

How would it be received?

Not well, in all likelihood. Lampard’s coaching career became a punchline even before a poor spell at Everton and a nightmare return to Chelsea. A very different character to Southgate in the ‘former players’ category, his appointment may well lead to a baying mob at the gates of St George’s Park.

(Top photos: Graham Potter, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola; Getty Images)