GARETH SOUTHGATE was offered a shock career change within minutes of stepping down as England manager.
Southgate quit as Three Lions chief after seeing his side fall at the final hurdle once more with a 2-1 defeat to Spain in Sunday’s Euro final.
Southgate has now decided the time is right to go, with bookmakers proposing he will become the Manchester United boss already.
But now Domino’s Pizza have entered the fray by offering Southgate the chance to apply for a job.
As soon as Fabrizio Romano posted Southgate’s decision to vacate his role as manager of the national team, the pizza giant stepped in.
Almost immediately, Domino’s replied on X: “We’re hiring.”
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And fans have lapped up the opportunity to add to the tongue-and-cheek X post.
One joked: “If you do hire him, he might be able to deliver something for a change.”
A second chimed in: “But I heard he doesn’t deliver!”
While another said: “He would definitely double box the pizzas.”
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But Southgate’s eligibility for the role can be called into question – he has worked for Domino’s rivals before.
The former Aston Villa and Middlesbrough midfielder appeared in a Pizza Hut advert in the 90s – just months after missing the crucial penalty against Germany in Euro 96.
Next England manager odds
- Graham Potter – Evens
- Eddie Howe – 3/1
- Mauricio Pochettino – 4/1
- Lee Carsley – 10/1
- Frank Lampard – 10/1
- Jurgen Klopp – 10/1
- Pep Guardiola – 16/1
Former England star Stuart Pearce convinced Southgate to take part in the commercial, alongside Chris Waddle.
With the pair – who also missed crucial spot-kicks at Italia 90 – taking the mickey out of the future throughout the dialogue.
Southgate even wore a paper bag over his head in the iconic ad.
And this is isn’t the first time Southgate’s managerial career has been subject to trolling from Domino’s.
After England’s subpar performances in Group C last month, the food chain posted a hilarious picture of an out-of-control Domino’s kitchen.
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One employee could be seen sprawled on the floor as tons of pizzas flew out of an oven.
The caption for the picture read: “If Southgate ran a Domino’s.”
Southgate’s England legacy should be celebrated, not torn down
By Tom Barclay
Gareth Southgate claimed that only winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the footballing world.
Spain proved a last-gasp comeback too far in Berlin, but defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation put respect back into the world of England football.
Critics will pick apart his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in the most high-pressurised games – with some legitimacy.
Yet what is quickly forgotten is the laughing stock our national side had become before he took over in 2016.
A shambolic Euros exit to Iceland that summer had been followed up by Sam Allardyce quitting just one game into his tenure thanks to his pint of wine with undercover reporters.
Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his understated eloquence and his vision for a better, different future.
He had analysed why England had so often failed in the past, from lack of preparation at penalty shoot-outs to players being bored out of their minds during major tournaments.
Southgate took those findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and it led to back-to-back finals for the first time in our history.
Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, shock, horror, that it was met, generally, with support.
It did not stop him from being criticised when required – we are no cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of yesteryear – or today on social media – was largely gone.
No manager is perfect and neither was Southgate. We cannot pretend his teams played like those of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.
But in the fullness of time, his feats will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.
Hopefully his successor can go one step further and bring football home.
To do that, they must show respect to what Southgate has created and build on it, rather than rip it down.
To read more from Tom Barclay click HERE.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
