Southgate rules out return to management

Southgate has been a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston as well, apart from being involved in a documentary where he travelled across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom documenting challenges faced by young men and boys. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Former England manager Gareth Southgate has ruled out a return to coaching saying his desire to be involved in football has changed.

Speaking on the Amol Rajan Connection podcast, he declared that he “doesn’t see a scenario” where he returns to the Premier League as manager.

Southgate led the England men’s football team to two Euro finals in 2021 and 2024, but was unable to end the Three Lions’ wait since 1966 to win a major tournament.

The 56-year-old stepped down after Euro 2024 and has since diversified his engagement with the sport since.

He has been a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston as well, apart from being involved in a documentary where he travelled across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom documenting challenges faced by young men and boys.

“Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying, at the very least for a period, the wins that keep you going.

“By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes. So, I’ve hardly watched football.”

Southgate added he has not even visited a football stadium since going to see his first club Crystal Palace win the FA Cup final in May 2025.

“I went to the FA Cup final to see my team, Crystal Palace, win their first trophy. I’ve not been to a football ground since. So my sort of desire to be involved in football has changed.”

Southgate also weighed in on the latest scandal that has rocked the Premier League: Manchester City’s guilty verdict in over 100 charges of breaching league rules.

“My underlying thought is none of this is good for football and there are no winners,” Southgate said.

“Because if you’re at the Premier League, for a very brief moment you might feel justified that all the flak you’ve had for this case taking so long, this is why it’s taken so long and there’s the verdict, and I’m sure there’s an element of justification in that.

“Then there’s this realisation of how do we deal with all of this because you know the possibility of all the different legal cases that emerge from this, how long this could still take, what’s the right sort of punishment, how do you keep the whole game on track?