Former England coach Gareth Southgate announced on Thursday that he will take a year off from any club or national team job after there was talk he might be a candidate for Manchester United.
“I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I’m certain of that,” Southgate said during an interview in front of hundreds of soccer officials at a European Club Association meeting.
Southgate stepped down from his role with England in July, just two days after the team lost in the final of the European Championship for the second time in a row. England was defeated 2-1 by Spain in Berlin, three years after losing to Italy in a penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium in London.
During his eight years as coach, he changed England’s record and image in international soccer, leading the team to a semifinal and a quarterfinal at back-to-back World Cups.
Some fans criticized him for being too cautious, but Southgate was praised for bringing joy back to the players while being careful to protect them from criticism. He also addressed social issues during a challenging time in British society.
“I need to give myself time to make good decisions,” Southgate said. “I’m fortunate that there are lots of opportunities presenting themselves.”
He made it clear he was stepping away from speculation about possibly becoming the coach of Manchester United, which has had a rough start to the season under Erik ten Hag.
“Clubs can only be successful if everything is aligned right the way through the club,” Southgate explained, noting that his past club management experience was with Middlesbrough for three years after he retired as a player in 2006.
“And I also know that maybe the smarter people sit in the boardrooms and the coaches are a little bit more dispensable than you think when you’re there,” he added.
The 54-year-old former England defender mentioned that he is “at an age where I want to work with good people” and expressed interest in the business side of soccer.
