FA willing to wait for Pep Guardiola as England manager to replace Gareth Southgate

The Football Association would consider the idea of appointing an interim in order to try and coax Pep Guardiola as England manager if he does decide to leave Manchester City in 2025. While it is not the federation’s first choice to wait, the Catalan represents such an outstanding candidate that it would at least bring a re-assessment if there was any chance of getting him.

Gareth Southgate’s resignation was announced on Tuesday morning, just two days after the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, putting into action a long-prepared FA plan for his departure. The priority now is for a manager who understands the culture of the national team, which Guardiola fits into perfectly having spent eight years in England and supplied so many players. He has naturally been high on any ideal list, but the feeling was previously that it would be near impossible to get him out of City for such a job.

There is now a feeling within the English champions that Guardiola might leave at the end of the 2024-25 season. Complicating his future is the ongoing Premier League investigation into City over the hundred-plus charges for alleged breaches of rules on financial regulation. The club stress their innocence.

Guardiola has previously expressed interest in going into international management, although primarily on the romance of coaching Brazil. In such a scenario that he might be interested, the FA would seek to play up the idea of ending England’s long wait for an international trophy. Guardiola does not have particular interest in managing Spain due to identifying as a Catalan.

One problem is that the 53-year-old may not even make a decision until the end of the 2024-25 season, as has been the case in recent campaigns. That may not prove completely off-putting, however. While the FA have stressed their intention to make a quick decision, that can involve an interim. Qualification for the 2026 World Cup doesn’t even start until late March. Under-21 manager Lee Carsley would be seen as someone ready to step up, given he is currently a candidate for the senior job. Any success in such games could even see him promoted if Guardiola does not ultimately leave City or want the job.

Figures with knowledge of the situation have also pointed out that the FA were prepared to wait for Sarina Wiegman on the women’s team, because they felt she was absolutely the right choice.

As regards candidates the FA would seek to go for immediately, Newcastle United have already let it be known that they would work to keep Eddie Howe.