Gary Neville: Gareth Southgate’s successor as England boss should be English

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville explains why the FA should name an English successor to Gareth Southgate as England boss.

Southgate left his role as England manager on Tuesday with the news coming two days after England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

The FA has drawn up a lengthy shortlist of possible candidates to replace Southgate – which includes current Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, Sky Sports News understands.

Neville, speaking on Sky Sports News, was full of praise for Southgate’s eight years in charge of the Three Lions, which included a run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and back-to-back Euros finals in 2020 and 2024, and believes an English manager should be appointed to build on the work done by Southgate.

Read on for Neville’s thoughts in full on Southgate’s tenure as England boss and what’s next for the Three Lions…

Neville on Southgate exit: ‘There were hints’

I am not surprised. I thought Gareth would call it a day – I think there were hints during the tournament that it might be the time.

He used the phrase ‘unusual environment’… I am not sure the [decision] was based on Sunday’s result.

He has had an amazing time for eight years, surpassed the expectation of every England fan and deserved to call time on his own terms.

He has achieved incredible things on the pitch and also off the pitch. He has managed the politics, the club vs country rivalry. He has removed those barriers, but it has taken its toll.

‘Southgate will be a tough act to follow’

He has got honesty, he has got integrity, he is a fantastic person.

When he took the job, he was toying with whether to take it or not and it was an unspectacular appointment, but he is the manager with the most amount of tournament experience ever – Euro 96, the U21s.

He has learnt a lot from the past and I know those learnings will be left behind. He won’t take the crown jewels, he is not that sort of person.

He will be a tough act to follow.

‘What he’s done with England is remarkable’

We couldn’t go over the edge [and win a tournament] but that is nothing to be ashamed of.

He will get the respect, even more so if England don’t qualify for tournaments or get knocked out in the group stages. We will be back there at some point in the future.

In terms of sustained success, what England have done under Southgate is remarkable. The players deserve credit as well.

‘Signs things weren’t quite right’

Gareth was spinning plates in this tournament more than in others. There were signs players were getting caught in the weeds and taking criticism.

I wouldn’t say there were fractures – you can’t get to a final with fractures – but you could smell it and see in Gareth’s face and players’ faces things weren’t quite right that were right in the past.

That might have contributed [to his departure].

What will Southgate’s legacy be?

Gareth is right at the very top, apart from Sir Alf Ramsey who won the World Cup. If Gareth had won on Sunday, he would have been right up there with him. That is the one thing that will live with Gareth.

He has created one of the most successful periods in English football history.

I know players are developed by clubs and academies and they should take credit, but you only get the respect you deserve as a nation when those players get to international football and start reaching semi-finals and finals.

I think English footballers are respected more around the world because of Gareth Southgate.

What next for Southgate?

I would like to think Gareth will stay in international management. His patience and understanding is second to none and it suits him.

He is a statesman-like leader who represents countries really well.

He is such a proud Englishman – he doesn’t look like a bulldog type who will fight for his country, like Terry Butcher and Stuart Pearce, but he is that type in a different shell.

But I think he could take his learnings into another country.

He could also stay with England and the FA in a higher role and develop English coaches.

‘Next manager should be English’

[The next manager] will have to win a trophy to surpass what Gareth has achieved.

Over the years we have had every type of manager – the fashionable, the international manager, best English managers, people who have come through the ranks with youth teams.

There is no science in terms of what works and there are obvious contenders. Graham Potter and Eddie Howe will get mentioned and I think it will definitely be an English manager.

Moving to St George’s Park was to promote and develop English coaches. To take that away from an English manager and give to an international manager would be wrong.

The highs and lows of Southgate’s tenure

• September 2016 – Appointed England manager
• July 2018 – England reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years but lose 2-1 to Croatia
• June 2019 – England reach the semi-finals of the inaugural Nations League but lose 3-1 to Netherlands
• July 2021 – England reach the final of the Euros for the first time but lose to Italy on penalties after a 1-1 draw
• September 2022 – England are relegated from the top tier of the Nations League after failing to win any of their six matches
• December 2022 – England are knocked out of the World Cup by France in the quarter-finals
• July 2024 – England reach the Euro 2024 final with dramatic knockout wins over Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands – but lose to Spain in Berlin.

England’s upcoming fixtures (all Nations League)

• September 7: vs Republic of Ireland (a)
• September 10: vs Finland (h)
• October 10: vs Greece (h)
• October 13: vs Finland (a)
• November 14: vs Greece (a)
• November 17: vs Republic of Ireland (h)