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Topics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Gareth Southgate, Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, England
Tom Jenkins
Topics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Gareth Southgate, Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, England
Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has urged Liverpool to consider appointing England manager Gareth Southgate to replace Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season.
Klopp has been at the helm of the Merseyside club for nine years, so the announcement of his departure sent the club into a rather unprecedented cloud of uncertainty.
Liverpool have been heavily linked to their former player Xabi Alonso who is enjoying a sensational season with Bayer Leverkusen, however, recent reports have suggested that the Spaniard would prefer a move to Bayern Munich.
With that in mind, former Liverpool and England right-back Glen Johnson has made a rather bold suggestion that his old club should make a move for Southgate.
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“It’s an awkward one to talk about because you don’t want to go into a major tournament speculating about whether England’s manager is going elsewhere and you also don’t want to make assumptions," Johnson said in an interview with Betfred.
“If he’s available in the summer, then you’ve got to look at all the options. He’s done a brilliant job with England, so there’s no reason why he can’t be successful with a club like Liverpool as he’d be dealing with a similar standard of players. You’d need to have the chat because you can’t just dismiss him if he’s available," Johnson explained.
Regardless of what people say it is indisputable that Southgate's time as England manager has been a success given the prior record at international tournaments.
The former Middlesbrough manager has taken England to a World Cup semi-final as well as the final of the Euros in his eight-year spell as manager.
While it may seem unlikely that Southgate would leave the national side for the Premier League, there does appear to be genuine interest from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Manchester United.
Johnson also commented on these recent rumours but wasn't convinced that Old Trafford would be a good environment for Southgate.
“There have been a number of good, successful managers that have gone into the job at Manchester United and have struggled, so it wouldn’t be guaranteed success for Gareth if he was to take the job," Johnson explained.