England manager Gareth Southgate has a decision to make and the clock is ticking.
Multiple sources have told ESPN that he has significant support within the new INEOS-led hierarchy at Manchester United to succeed Erik ten Hag as manager if the Dutchman loses his job at the end of this season, but if he stays for two years more with England, could end the country's 60-year wait for World Cup glory.
Try to win a World Cup or manage Manchester United? Choose your option. Both scenarios are based on major ifs and buts, but they are still realistic and are the kind of opportunities that senior managers can only dream of.
Since taking charge of England in 2016, following a disastrous Euro 2016 campaign and Sam Allardyce's only game as manager, Southgate has transformed the nation's football fortunes, guiding them to a World Cup semi-final and runners-up finish. of Euro 2020.
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With world-class talent including the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden in his squad, Southgate knows England will travel to Germany this summer as one of the favorites to win Euro 2024. And it will be the same at the World Cup. 2026. Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, at 53, Southgate, whose England team faces Brazil and Belgium in friendlies at Wembley during the international break, is also young enough to capitalize on his work with the national team by returning to an important role in the club management and would cost you less than £1. millions in compensation if he left his position.
United's dramatic 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final victory against Liverpool on Sunday, which secured a semi-final against EFL Championship side Coventry City next month, kept the club's season alive and boosted prospects of Ten Hag to win a trophy. But his position as manager remains at stake as poor results in the Premier League leave United in sixth place, nine points off qualification for next season's Champions League.
Sources told ESPN that Ten Hag still has a lot of work to do to convince INEOS, led by United's new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, that he is the man to take the club forward and that both Sir Dave Brailsford, INEOS sporting director as Old Trafford's new regime player and incoming director of football Dan Ashworth consider Southgate the favorite candidate to fill any managerial vacancy this summer.
Both men have worked closely with Southgate in the past – Brailsford through the INEOS Leaders in Sport program and Ashworth during his time with the English Football Association – and sources said the former Middlesbrough manager's success with England, both within and off the court. This makes him the perfect candidate for a club that needs to rebuild in all areas.
However, while Ten Hag's future remains the subject of doubt and speculation, the same can be said for Southgate. His contract as England manager expires in December and he has always avoided the opportunity to declare whether he will stay or leave at the end of the Euros.
Sources said the English FA wants Southgate to stay until the World Cup, regardless of what happens this summer, but the man himself remains undecided. United's interest may yet force Southgate to decide one way or another, and long before England fly to Germany.
If he wants to move into club management next season, with United or another club, Southgate must make the decision before the end of this season. Interested clubs need clarity and cannot wait until mid-July to find out if a candidate will be available. Furthermore, the FA will not only need time to identify and appoint a successor, but will want to avoid England's tournament being overshadowed by daily speculation about the manager's future.
By announcing his intentions now, Southgate can put an end to speculation and commit to 2026 or he can claim that Euro 2024 will signal his exit from the stage. In late January, Jurgen Klopp revealed his decision to leave Liverpool this summer, and that announcement appears to have galvanized the club in a positive sense, so the same could work for England and Southgate.
One thing is certain is that keeping everyone guessing until after the Euros will hurt Southgate's chances of landing a top job at the club this summer. He could also become a useless distraction to England's chances.
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However, would Southgate be the right appointment for United? When ESPN reported on March 6 that he was being evaluated by the club along with Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi and Brentford's Thomas Frank, the reaction from United fans was overwhelmingly skeptical and negative.
Rightly or wrongly, Southgate is largely perceived as a coach who is cautious and struggles to overcome elite opponents in major tournaments. He has also been out of club management for 15 years after being sacked by Middlesbrough shortly after overseeing the team's relegation from the Premier League in 2008-09. But he has undoubtedly rebuilt his reputation in England, and his eight years in charge will have prepared him for the pressure that comes with managing a club as big as United.
Southgate's relationship with the likes of Kane and Bellingham could put United at the front of the signing queue if they decide to return to England from Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively. Furthermore, his appointment at Old Trafford would likely be welcomed by the likes of Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw, who all shone for England under him.
However, one criticism leveled at Southgate with England in crucial World Cup and Euro 2020 matches is that he took too long to make changes that could have swung the game in his team's favor. He thinks everything through carefully and does not make hasty decisions, but the time always comes to make an important decision. That moment is quickly approaching.
