Gareth Southgate hints towards future as ex-England manager takes to LinkedIn for statement
Gareth Southgate has spilled the beans on his future after quitting his job as England manager.
The 54-year-old stepped down after leading the Three Lions to the 2024 Euros final this past July. After Southgate’s exit, Lee Carsley briefly served as interim manager before Thomas Tuchel was named as the permanent successor last month.
Since leaving the role, Southgate has been taking a break from the football scene. In September, he indicated that he would not be rushing back into work after his decade-long tenure with the England team.
Discussing his next steps, the former defender said: "I've got lots of opportunities, I'm very open-minded to what's next. That might be in football, that might be outside of football.
“I'm just going to take some time, refresh, recharge and go from there. I think at the moment people know that I need to get my energy back."
Now, he’s given further insight into his future plans, taking to LinkedIn to reveal his future. Reflecting on his career on the social media platform, he said: "After eight years serving in one of the highest profile roles in world football, I’m consciously taking time to reflect on what I lived through and thinking deeply about what comes next.
“Looking back there are matches and moments I will remember for the rest of my life. Coaching top players was a challenge that pushed me to operate at the very highest level. The weight of the role with the unique responsibility it carried was something few ever get to experience.
“Perhaps the hardest thing of all to replicate though, is going to be the sense of purpose. Every morning I drove through the gates of St George’s Park, I had a responsibility to improve English football. Whenever the national anthem played pre-game, I was representing 50 million people, their hopes and dreams.
“I’m comfortable with this period of ‘exploration’ and not having all the answers. I’m following the advice I would give to any young person, without a clear career vision. Keep learning, build or explore your network, seek different life experiences and when you decide what’s next, there will be no right or wrong, just one path or another.”