Gareth Southgate has admitted Euro 2024 is likely his “last chance” to win a trophy as England manager and that he will probably leave his post if he does not lead them to glory in Germany.
Southgate has been in charge of the national team for eight years, leading them to a semi-final at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the final of Euro 2020, before a quarter-final exit at the hands of France at the Qatar World Cup 18 months ago.
The Football Association would like Southgate to continue his role beyond his contract’s expiry in December and take England to the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico. But the manager says he must win the Euros to keep his job, or else the pressure on his shoulders will grow too heavy.
“If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here any more,” he told the German newspaper Bild. “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.”
The FA deliberately installed an extra six months beyond the Euros on Southgate’s contract to allow some breathing room for both parties to consider the future after the tournament, and to alleviate speculation this summer.
Southgate’s immediate concern is getting his team ready for Sunday’s game against Serbia. England produced a disappointing final display in their Wembley warm-up last week, losing 1-0 to Iceland, and they also picked up a concerning injury as John Stones limped off at half-time.
England will train on Tuesday in Jena, in the centre of Germany, in front of thousands of fans.
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