‘Guardiola won’t leave Man City for England, why would he?!’ - Eriksson sees Pochettino as Southgate successor

• Three Lions lost at Qatar 2022 in quarter-finals
• Current coach under contract until 2024
• Speculation raging regarding possible change

WHAT HAPPENED? There is no role to be filled with the Three Lions at present as Gareth Southgate remains under contract until 2024. Questions are, however, being asked of his future on the back of a quarter-final exit at the 2022 World Cup. Various names have been offered up as potential candidates to succeed Southgate, with former England manager Eriksson of the opinion that an ex-Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain coach may be the best man for the job.

WHAT THEY SAID: Eriksson, who became the Three Lions’ first foreign coach when taking the reins in 2001, has told OLBG: “I could imagine Mauricio Pochettino as the manager of England. When he was with Tottenham, he did a great job, I still don't understand why he was sacked. The football players play under him is fantastic too.

“Most of the big managers are busy with their clubs, if you look at Pep Guardiola, he will not leave Manchester City, why would he do that? You have many coaches like that who England will be unable to appoint if Gareth Southgate was to leave. Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel are two very good names, but I hope England keep Southgate for another two years, why not keep him?”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Eriksson added on the potential for England’s current coach to stay put: “Gareth Southgate will have a big decision on his hands, he will feel if the players, the FA and most importantly, the players, behind him. If you don't have the backing of the players then it's a very difficult situation. Normally you have two or four-year contracts with England. The manager gets to spend a lot less time with the players because he does not see them as often. Whoever comes in will need time to create something special. England will always want an English manager in charge, it's in their blood. We foreign managers who have been in that job always were criticised for not being English. If I was the FA, my number one priority would be to keep Southgate, because I don't know what English manager would be available to take over.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? With another quest for global glory having come to a close, England will not be back in action until opening their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign against Italy on March 23, 2023.