Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan does not feel Gareth Southgate is a ‘Premier League manager’ and would not want the England boss in charge at Selhurst Park.
It’s fair to say that, although there’s not exactly much competition, Gareth Southgate is by far and away England’s most successful manager of the modern era. Only a penalty shoot out defeat by Italy at Wembley threatened to make that Three Lions lyric redundant, those so-called ‘years of hurt’ now tallying 58.
Simon Jordan, however, is not convinced that England’s relative success – if you can call ongoing trophy drought a success – is because of Southgate rather than despite him.
And, if offered the opportunity, the former chairman would have serious reservations about the prospect of Southgate taking over from England predecessor Roy Hodgson at his beloved Crystal Palace after his contract expires following this summer’s European Championships.
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“I think Gareth Southgate is an international manager who has done very well in managing the media, and has had a remarkable embarrassment of riches of players. So, as a result of that, he has been able to trade with that currency,” Jordan tells talkSPORT (5 January, 10am).
“Quite frankly, given the talent he’s got at his disposal, it would be quite embarrassing if he hadn’t achieved the things he’s achieved!
“Translate that into domestic football, and do I think Gareth Southgate is an elite manager? Or a Premier League manager? I don’t.
“There is a vast, vast, vast difference between managing Crystal Palace and what you’re given at an international team littered with top class – and some of them genuinely world class – footballers.”
Crystal Palace looking for Roy Hodgson replacements
53-year-old Southgate actually started his playing career with Crystal Palace, making a senior bow for The Eagles in the late 1980s. He spent seven years in the Palace first-team before departing for Aston Villa.
According to The Guardian, another who has worked with The FA is currently the leading candidate to take Hodgson’s place on the Selhurst Park bench. Former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, a World Cup under 17 champion with England, is a long-time target of Crystal Palace.
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