Southgate understands England situation as boss makes contract admission

27 May 2023 , 21:30

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Southgate understands England situation as boss makes contract admission

Gareth Southgate reckons England will have to go deep in the Euros if he is to remain in charge for the next World Cup.

Southgate, 52, revealed he has no plan to sign a new contract before next summer’s finals in Germany.

And he is realistic to understand that his team will have to deliver if he is going to be still at the helm for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Southgate came close to quitting in the aftermath of the heartbreaking quarter-final defeat at the hands of France in Qatar in December - only to have a change of heart when he realised he still had the full support of his players.

He said: “My contract is until December 2024 and that was put in place because it would allow everybody some reflection time. Who knows (if this is my last tournament)?

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“I think we’ll have to go very, very well for the next World Cup to be a possibility in anyone’s eyes. That’s fair enough. I’m more than comfortable with that.

“My aim is to try to win the tournament. Everything I do is geared around that and every conversation I have with the players now is geared around that. So what will happen in the future isn’t at the forefront of my mind - but trying to win this European Championship is.”

Gareth Southgate is preparing for his fourth major tournament as boss ((Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images))

Southgate feared he had lost the support of the country when he was jeered after England’s defeat to Italy in the Nations League last summer.

But he led England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals at the final of Euro 2022. Southgate added: “I think you have a feel at the time of what’s right and what isn’t right. We’re going to have to play well and go a long way in the tournament.

“At whatever point I leave here, hopefully we’ve won something. But if I leave as the second most successful England manager, I’ll be more than happy to become third most successful very quickly. I joined here to help English football - and that will never change for me.”

Simon Mullock