‘I’m certain of that’ – Gareth Southgate makes promise as he responds to Manchester United links

Gareth Southgate says he is ‘certain’ he will not return to football management ‘in the next year’ despite being linked with the Manchester United job.

Southgate emerged as a target for the Premier League giants earlier in the year when it looked as though Erik ten Hag would be sacked.

With his focus fully on England’s Euro 2024 campaign, Southgate refused to comment on the speculation but was said to be ‘open’ to the idea of taking over at Old Trafford.

Manchester United handed Ten Hag a new contract in the summer after speaking to several managers about potentially replacing him but the team’s poor form in the early stages of this season has led to fresh scrutiny over his position at the club.

United have won just two of their opening seven league games to slip to 14th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone.

Manchester United’s owners appear ready to give Ten Hag even more time to prove he can bring back the glory days but more underwhelming performances following the international break could force the club to act.

Ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is believed to be a figure of interest at Old Trafford, while it would not be a surprise to see Southgate linked with the job once again.

But Southgate, England’s most successful manager since World Cup-winning boss Sir Alf Ramsey, has ruled out an imminent return to management and says he needs ‘time’ to consider his options going forward.

‘I won’t coach in the next year, for sure,’ Southgate said at the ECA Europe general assembly. ‘I’m certain of that.

‘I need to give myself time to make good decisions. When you come out of a really big role you need to give your body time, you need to give your mind time.’

Southgate stepped down as England manager after six years following the Three Lions’ defeat to Spain in the 2024 European Championship final.

The 53-year-old managed England at four major tournaments, also reaching the final of Euro 2020 while going deep at back-to-back World Cups.

Southgate was named as the ‘obvious choice’ for the Manchester United job by ex-England star Joe Cole.

‘Gareth Southgate is the obvious choice for Manchester United,’ he told Paddy Power.

‘If you look at the ownership group, with Dan Ashworth – he worked with Southgate at the FA and it’s actually reminds me a lot with when Gareth took over at England and having to steady the waters.

‘The fans weren’t happy, and he managed to galvanise them and it might be the right place at the right time for Gareth and I hate talking about next managers when the manager is still in play but it’s really tough to look at Manchester United and – knowing how football is – know that they must be thinking about doing something.

‘Erik ten Hag is a top manager, and he’d walk away with his head high and silverware on the table – like he did at Ajax. He’ll get another job and that might suit his style a bit better.’

But Manchester United legend Gary Neville has said the club’s fans would have reservations if Southgate was to arrive in the Old Trafford hot-seat.

‘I said last season that I’ve never seen Gareth as a fit for Manchester United or Manchester United to be a fit for Gareth,’ the ex-United and England right-back said on The Overlap US.

‘I’ve never seen it as something, to be fair, the club would do, I’ve never seen it as something Manchester United would do.

‘The only connection I see is that Dan Ashworth has worked with Gareth and Gareth has done a very good job with England but I’ve never seen that connection before.

‘Manchester United fans are a bunch of people who have feeling, who have a spirit, and I don’t think they’re connected to this idea yet.

‘Gareth could do exactly what he’s done with England if he was to come in the next few months or year or whatever it may be and completely change people’s thinking and change the dynamic around the decision.

‘But actually pre-the move, he would come in, not unusually for him because he came into the England job with not a lot of love, but he would be coming into Manchester United with, not necessarily not a lot of love, but coming in with scepticism.

‘There is no doubt about that from Manchester United fans. He would know that.’

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