October 11 – Former England manager Gareth Southgate is to take a year off and will not join any club or national team during that time following speculation he could be a target for Manchester United.
“I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I’m certain of that,” Southgate said during an on-stage interview to an audience of hundreds of officials at a European Club Association meeting.
Southgate stepped down from the England job in July, two days after losing in the final of the European Championship. England lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin, three years after another heartbreaking defeat in the previous final in a penalty shootout against Italy.
His eight years in the job transformed England’s reputation, also reaching a semi-final and quarterfinal at back-to-back World Cups.
Criticised by some fans for being too cautious but with the best record of any England manager for over half a century, he added: “Sometimes when you are in a big role you don’t realise the weight until it’s gone. It is one of those jobs where everybody has an opinion. I need to give myself time to make good decisions. I’m fortunate that there are lots of opportunities presenting themselves.”
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