The 2024 European Championships may be Gareth Southgate's final tournament as England manager, and the FA may have already picked his replacement.
The knockout stages of Euro 2024 are set to get underway this weekend as 16 of the best teams on the continent will face off to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
After Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia, England finished on top of Group C with a total of five points.
With the final matches of the group stage still to be played, England will have to wait until Wednesday evening to discover who they will face on Sunday in the round of 16.
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But, despite securing his side’s place in the knockouts, Gareth Southgate has received significant backlash from England fans, with some suggesting that he should be sacked before this weekend’s fixture.
And recent reports suggest that, should Southgate depart as England manager, his replacement will be likely be Lee Carsley.
According to HITC, the current England Under-21 coach is favourite to succeed Southgate, who himself came from the U21 coaching role, with the FA favouring an idea of succession rather than appointing someone from outside the current system.
Carsley has been with the FA for nearly a decade and led the Young Lions to glory last summer as England defeated Spain 1-0 in the European Under-21 Championship final.
The 50-year-old is well thought of across Europe and has already turned down several jobs in international management, including from the Republic of Ireland.
Ahead of the tournament, reports suggested that the FA were satisfied with Southgate’s performances as manager and were set to offer him a new contract to lead England for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
But, the 53-year-old has suggested that, should he fail to end England's 58 year wait for a trophy this summer, he will step down as manager of the Three Lions.
Speaking to German newspaper BILD, Southgate said: “If we don't win, I probably won't be here anymore. So maybe it is the last chance.
“I think around half the national coaches leave after a tournament – that's the nature of international football. I've been here almost eight years now and we've come close.
“You can't constantly put yourself in front of the public and say, ‘A little more please’ as at some point people lose faith. If we want to be a great team and I want to be a top coach, you must deliver in big moments.”
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Topics: England, Euro 2024, Gareth Southgate, FA, Football
Ben McCrum