England need a foreign manager and FA can't let history cloud judgement after Gareth Southgate exit
England are set to start looking for a new manager in the wake of Gareth Southgate's decision to walk away
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On Tuesday, the news everybody had been waiting for finally arrived.
Gareth Southgate has opted to leave his post as England manager, with the 53-year-old packing his bags and walking into the sunset just two days after his side's gut-wrenching defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024.
Nobody is really surprised. Prior to the tournament, he had hinted he would quit if England were unsuccessful.
And though they reached the final, their unconvincing performances over the past month meant victory over Spain was never really feasible in Sunday's showdown. Especially when you consider the swashbuckling style of football La Roja play under Luis de la Fuente.
England are set to start looking for a new manager in the wake of Gareth Southgate's decision to walk away
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Southgate has gone. And it'll now be intriguing to see who follows him in arguably one of the toughest jobs around.
The early whispers are that the Three Lions will, somewhat predictably, look to appoint an Englishman.
Eddie Howe is the leading candidate to take charge of the side, having won admirers within the FA for his work at Bournemouth and Newcastle over the years. England are set to gauge his interest in taking charge, though the 46-year-old could yet opt to stick, rather than twist.
Graham Potter is also in the frame. Though his spell at Chelsea didn't work out prior to his dismissal in April last year, he's got plenty of credit in the bank due to his previous work with Brighton and Swansea. After all, plenty of managers out there have failed to last at Stamford Bridge. It would be harsh to judge him on that ill-fated reign.
But there are foreign candidates, too. It's a path England have gone down before, of course, with nothing to show for it.
If penalties didn't expect, Sven-Goran Eriksson may well have steered the Three Lions to glory at major tournaments in 2004 and 2006. Had England beaten Portugal on either of those occasions, instead of crashing out, his reign could have been different.
Eriksson was popular among fans and players. The same can't be said for Fabio Capello, however...
After Steve McLaren failed to guide England to Euro 2008 qualification, the FA wanted a big name to come in. Luiz Felipe Scolari, who had been considered two years before, was linked but working at Chelsea. Jose Mourinho, who was out of work, decided to turn down the role.
England went with Capello and things, initially at least, seemed to work out. They won nine of their 10 matches as they qualified for the World Cup in 2010 and the country's golden generation looked good enough to bring the glittering gong home.
Except that didn't happen. It's now well known that Capello was disliked by the vast majority of English players, who found his strictness stifling. They unravelled at the World Cup in South Africa, crashing out after a horrendous 4-1 humbling at the hands of fierce rivals Germany in the round of 16.
Capello stayed for a while longer but was enraged when the FA stripped John Terry of the England captaincy without his permission in February 2012. He left as a result, with few mourning his departure.
Fast-forward to now and England have always been reluctant to go down the foreign route. That's something that should change, however, if they're serious about winning the biggest prizes on offer.
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England have been scared off foreign managers ever since the disastrous reign of Fabio Capello
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With English managers, the pool is limited. Howe hasn't won a major trophy throughout his career - and neither has Potter. Does either man really have the credentials to take on a job of such magnitude?
Earlier on Tuesday, before news of Southgate's exit broke, it emerged Thomas Tuchel was keen.
Though being German might upset a few supporters, the 50-year-old's track record speaks for itself. He is a serial winner, having won trophies with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich during his career. Though combative, his abrasive nature wouldn't rear its head so often in an international set-up, as opposed to a club one.
There's also Mauricio Pochettino, who is on the market after leaving Chelsea by mutual consent earlier this summer.
England would perhaps be wise to bide their time and wait on Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola to replace Gareth Southgate
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Pochettino was popular with his players at Stamford Bridge, players entertaining football and won three pieces of silverware during his time at PSG. A manager with a proven record of working with and improving young players, it would be wrong to discard him due to his nationality.
Then there's the trail of thought that, if England are patient, they could land an even bigger name.
Jurgen Klopp wants some time out but could yet return to management once he's recharged the batteries. The prospect of the Liverpool icon being handed the keys to a project brimming with potential would excite everyone. It is, at the very least, worth a phone call to discuss the subject.
And with Pep Guardiola set to leave Manchester City in 2025, the Spaniard is another man who would be tailor-made for the role. Arguably the best manager in the sport's entire history, Guardiola has already indicated he doesn't want to manage Spain. Their loss could be England's gain.
Ultimately, it's time to be brave and bold. Southgate was the safe appointment but, ultimately, England remain without a trophy since the 1966 World Cup. Putting eggs in other baskets, consequently, could be the way to go.
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