- Southate’s departure opens the door for the recruitment of a high-calibre coach
- England missed a big chance this summer and a lot of it is his fault
- PLUS: New coach must get the best out of Bellingham, writes IAN LADYMAN
In an ideal world the next England manager should be English. But we don’t live in an ideal world and the FA should focus on the best in class, not just someone based on their passport.
If Gareth Southgate’s successor is appointed solely to satisfy those who claim the national coach should come from the Netherlands, then the English Football Association has made a big mistake.
Because let’s face it, 58 years without winning a major trophy is pretty embarrassing for an elite football nation. That’s not English arrogance or presumption, it’s just a fact.
There is no reason why Spain and France can be so successful in international football so often and we cannot.
We have elite players who have won major trophies both domestically and abroad, they know what winning looks like, yet they fall short when it comes to international football.
Gareth Southgate’s sacking has opened the door for the FA to recruit the best of the best players
Thomas Tuchel is one of several international head coaches being considered for a new role
Southgate has to take some responsibility for that too. Over the last eight years we have had a manager who has been very capable of creating team spirit, managing the media and changing the narrative around England. But if we are brutally honest, it has also been a terrible waste given the talent he has had at his disposal.
One of the greatest crimes in life is wasting potential and I feel England missed another opportunity this summer.
The England job should be an honour and a privilege, not a chore – but we need a manager who can set the team up to fulfil their undoubted potential, to come out on top and beat teams. If that man is English, then hallelujah – but if the best candidate is from abroad, then so be it.
I bet no one cares where the manager comes from if England win the World Cup or the European Championship.
