The 2022 FIFA World Cup is just over a month away, yet there’s a growing sense amongst England fans that this competition might be Gareth Southgate’s last as manager of the Three Lions.
Results have been poor since England’s heroic run to the Euro 2020 final, with Southgate’s side not winning a single game in the most recent UEFA Nations League as the home nation were relegated down from Group A into Group B, with a 4-0 loss to Hungary arguably one of the most embarrassing in the country’s recent history.
With Southgate’s tactics and squad selection being a hugely contested point of frustration for England supporters, all signs point to this World Cup being the 52-year-old manager’s last competition with the Three Lions. Yet this brings up one important question, who will come in next?
England aren’t short of quality coaches, nor are there few names beyond the United Kingdom who would be open to managing the 1966 World Cup champions. So with that being said, here are five managers who could take on the mantle for the Three Lions heading into a post-Southgate world.
Sarina Wiegman
As mentioned in Michael Cox’s brilliant piece for the Atheltic, the English FA already have a two-time European championship-winning manager on their payroll who has been lauded in recent months for all the things Southgate seems to get wrong, the person in question being Lionesses’ manager Sarina Wiegman.
The Dutch coach is regarded by many as one of the best in the business in not just the women’s game, but football overall. And the FA would be missing a trick by not considering Wiegman as Southgate’s successor for England, with the 52-year-old arguably the ideal manager for the job given her incredible CV and her success in this nation already.
Graham Potter
Two names currently dominate the bookies’ favourites to take over as England manager following the 2022 World Cup, that being Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe and newly-appointed Chelsea coach Graham Potter. Whilst neither would realistically leave their current positions for the Three Lions, it’s the Blues figure who seems the most likely to one day lead his home nation.
Given the nature of Chelsea’s managerial record, Potter could well be out of the job in 2023 if things don’t go to plan in west London. Yet becoming England manager could be the perfect next step for the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss, who seems to be tailormade for the job in his approaches both on and off the pitch.
Arsene Wenger
Whenever a major international managerial position is up for grabs, Arsene Wenger seems to always be in the running for the job, and the Arsenal legend is no exception for our list of Southgate successors despite being away from the touchline for a good four years.
Wenger has previously revealed that he was offered the England job in 2016 after Roy Hodgson’s exit after the disastrous Euros that year. And although the Frenchman’s position on the role is that a foreigner shouldn’t become the Three Lions manager, there’s no denying that the former Gunners boss would be perfect for the occasion.
Steve Cooper
If there’s on figure on this list who could be considered the perfect match for England as their next manager, Nottingham Forest coach Steve Cooper must surely be that name given the Welshman’s incredible work with the Three Lions U-17s back in 2017.
Cooper famously took England’s youth side to World Cup glory almost five years ago. And what is more, many of the names from that winning side are now full international’s with the senior squad, namely Marc Guehi, Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden. And the Forest manager’s style of play could be suited for the Three Lions in the long term.
Steven Gerrard
Just like with Howe and Potter, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard seem to be two figures who are being groomed as potential England managers by fans and the British media. Yet out of the two, the Aston Villa boss could be better-suited to the role than his Everton counterpart.
Whilst the Villains’s form this season has been lacklustre, to say the least, Gerrard has shown what he can do with a well-run squad with people behind him who he can trust, with the former Liverpool captain’s success with Rangers more than enough to qualify for him the England job after Southgate.
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