Football

World Cup 2022: Gareth Southgate reveals why now is ‘not the time’ to make a decision on England future

World Cup 2022: Gareth Southgate reveals why now is ‘not the time’ to make a decision on England future

Gareth Southgate says he wants to make the right decision on his future as England manager, adding that the immediate aftermath of their World Cup exit is not the right time to make such a decision.

The Three Lions were sent home from Qatar on Saturday after a 2-1 quarter-final loss to France. Southgate had led his side to the last eight after topping Group B and defeating Senegal in the round of 16.

He previously said he will review and reflect on his position before making a decision, and has now added that such a decision will not be forthcoming in the next few days, as reported by BBC Sport.

His contract with the national team runs until December 2024, with Euro 2024 qualifiers up next for England. They get underway in March 2023, with the Three Lions set to take on Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta.

Speaking after the defeat, Southgate said: “When I’ve been through the past few tournaments, my emotions have been difficult to really think through properly in those following few weeks.

“It took so much energy out of you and you have so much going through your mind.

“I want to make the right decision either way because it has to be the right one to go again, or the right one not to go again – and I don’t think tonight is the time to make a decision like that. Neither are the next few days really.”

Southgate decision ‘too important’ to get wrong

Southgate landed the England job in October 2016, and has gone on to win 49 of his 81 matches in the dugout.

He has won six knockout games in major tournaments with England, the same number as the nation won in the 48 years before his appointment. Southgate led his side to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020.

“I don’t want to be four, five months down the line thinking I’ve made the wrong call,” he said. “It’s too important for everybody to get that wrong.”

Southgate

Not all smooth sailing for Southgate in recent years

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the England boss, however. The Three Lions headed into the World Cup having been relegated from their UEFA Nations League group.

They lost three and drew three of their six matches, with one of the losses – a 4-0 defeat against Hungary at Molineux – seeing England fans in the stands mock their manager.

That evening was one of many that Southgate has admitted was difficult, with the boss wanting to make sure he has the energy to stay on in his current role.

“I’ve found large parts of the last 18 months difficult,” added Southgate.

“For everything that I’ve loved about the last few weeks, I still have how things have been for 18 months – what’s been said and what’s been written, the night at Wolves.

“There are lots of things in my head that are really conflicted at the moment, so what I want to make sure, if it’s the right thing to stay, is that I’ve definitely got the energy to do that.”


Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!