GARETH SOUTHGATE has ruled himself OUT of taking over at Manchester United for at least 12 months.
Former England boss Southgate has been a front runner to be the next United choice if the Old Trafford side sack under-pressure Erik ten Hag.
But speaking publicly about his future for the first time since leaving the England job after Euro 2024, Southgate said he has NO intention of taking another coaching job until the back end of 2025 at the earliest.
In an appearance at the European Club Association general assembly in Athens, when he was asked about his next potential job, Southgate said: “Firstly I’m enjoying my life…so there’s no rush.
“I was 11 years committing myself fully to the FA and I’ve got lots of different experiences.
“But I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I’m certain of that.
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“I need to give myself time to make good decisions. When you come out of a really big role you need to give your body time, you need to give your mind time.”
Southgate made clear he is unlikely to consider another international job – and even that he may look for a role in football OUTSIDE of management.
He added: “I’m fortunate that there are lots of different opportunities that are presenting themselves. The business side of football is really interesting.
“In my role I’ve dealt with Uefa and Fifa, had to deal with lots of different stakeholders.
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“So I’m not just set on being a coach moving forward.
Of course I’ve had amazing experiences but to have a project that was from the heart, which it was from the national team, is going to be difficult to find.”
Southgate went on: “I’m at an age where I want to work with good people.
“When you’re younger you probably strive and are a bit more compliant. When you are older you realise the importance of collaboration.
“Clubs can only be successful if everything is aligned, right the way through the club.
“I also know that maybe the smarter people sit in the boardrooms and the coaches are a little bit more dispensable then you think when you are there.
“As a coach you think you’re the most important person. I sat in every boardroom in our country for eight years and realised you’re only a small piece in this whole thing.”
Coming just a day after Jurgen Klopp announced his new role at the Red Bull sporting group, Southgate hinted that he might be persuaded by a similar offer.
He said: “If you are asking about club football, that’s depending on what that is, what role that is, what that might be.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with fantastic players and some of the biggest nights in world football.
“You’ve got to have excitement, passion to go to work every day.
“That’s unlikely, for me, to be another national federation. Because, again, England was for the heart. I went there originally to help English football, not to become the first team coach.
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“But, the business of football, the experiences I’ve had working right across the board.
“I’m 54 and want to enjoy and be really motivated for the next 10-15 years of my life and the most important thing is to give myself time to make good decisions.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
