John McDermott (right) said that the Football Association is already thinking about a life after Gareth Southgate. Credit: Getty Images/Eddie Keogh
England's next manager doesn't have to be an Englishman, but «probably should be someone who has worked here,» said FA technical director John McDermott.
< p>In a wide-ranging interview, McDermott will lead the search for a possible successor to Gareth Southgate, saying there is a «genuine feeling» that England should have won the last World Cup and could win the European Championship in 2024.
Southgate's current contract expires at the end that same year, and McDermott said the manager would «subconsciously» play a role in who takes over as the pair talk about coaches all the time.
McDermott did not rule out Southgate staying. after the end of his current contract, which the manager himself had already raised and said that is partly why the 52-year-old's contract is running six months after the Euros in Germany.
But McDermott, who did well in 2021, Les Reed was asked whether the next England manager should be English.
“I think we need to find a better person to work with to help the English players that are out there,” McDermott said. “All my life I've always thought: what's in the best interest of the players? And if he's English, fine.
Credit: Getty Images/Eddie Keogh
«I think they would actually understand English players, English football and English psyche and probably work here and immerse yourself in the culture. But I would like to make sure that this is the most inspiring and the best person to lead our players.”
This person also, as Southgate astutely proved, should be able to deal with political and social issues — have the «bandwidth» for this — as well as sports.
«I think this ability to be immersed in the English game and what does it mean answering these questions — I think a lot of coaches in the club game have to deal with this too: what it means to be the mouthpiece of your club,» McDermott said. .
'Southgate is fortunately in a really good location'
Southgate considered leaving after the World Cup when England lost to France in the quarter-finals because he was afraid that the criticism he faced last year and participation in the tournament might affect the players. However, according to the Telegraph Sport, he decided to stay.
When asked if the FA would consider a further extension of Southgate's contract, McDermott said: «I think he made the commitment at the end of the World Cup, he 100 percent genuine in his desire to do the right thing for the team. I have no doubt about it,” McDermott said.
“At the moment it is not a matter of contract. I think Gareth is very intelligent and trying very hard to feel, not only from our point of view, but is he [the person], is it right for him? But now and after recovering from the game against France [with victories over Italy and Ukraine in the Euro qualifiers], fortunately I think he is in really good shape.”
Regarding England's elimination from the World Cup, McDermott stated: «I think there's a genuine feeling from the evidence that [the tournament] should have been ours, that it could have been ours.» I don't think it's pride or arrogance based on nothing, I really think it's a genuine belief.»
«Gareth is very introspective. He's very, very thoughtful.”
This added to the feeling that England could win the Euro as the FA deliberately placed Southgate on a contract that runs until the end of this year to give them – and Southgate – a breather.
“That was the thought behind it. Gareth is very introspective and after the Euro he needs time to digest. He is very, very thoughtful and I have a lot of respect for that,” McDermott said, adding that he was “glad that Southgate chose to stay after Qatar.”
“Now we are safe and headed to a brilliant start and I am looking forward to qualifying for Germany.”
England have a busy tournament schedule this summer under McDermott, with the European Under-17 Championship in Hungary starting next week, the World Under-20 Championship in Argentina and the European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania, and also qualifying matches for the senior team.
Succession planning for life after Southgate
McDermott is close to Southgate and they are discussing what might happen next. «I'm not saying it's going to be done overtly, but I think subconsciously it still happens naturally,» he said.
“Gareth and I talk every day and we're both lucky to go to clubs, go to Qatar [for the football coaches' report] together, we talk about the players all the time and we talk all the time about the coaches that impress us.
“[It] is not necessarily preparing the next England manager or the next Under 21 manager, but part of our job is to be at Premier League clubs, games and training grounds all the time. It's not necessary to train people to be the next England manager, just trying to help them and help them with our experience.»
McDermott said there was «succession planning» and added that the next manager of that won't do. must go through the FA system — as Southgate did. «It's an ambition, but I wouldn't want to necessarily limit us to that,» he said.
«We have a fantastic example of how this worked out with Gareth and his alliance with (assistant) Steve [Holland], so is it possible? Is this the way? I think so, but there are several ways to become the head coach of England or Germany.
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