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- 鈥淚 won鈥檛 coach in the next year, for sure. I鈥檓 certain of that,鈥� Southgate said
- 鈥淚 need to give myself time to make good decisions鈥�
ATHENS: Former England coach Gareth Southgate said Thursday he will be taking a year away from a club or national team job, after speculation he could be a target for Manchester United.
鈥淚 won鈥檛 coach in the next year, for sure. I鈥檓 certain of that,鈥� Southgate said during an on-stage interview to an audience of hundreds of soccer officials at a European Club Association meeting.
Southgate stepped down from the England job in July, two days after losing in the final of the European Championship for the second straight tournament. England lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin, three years after losing the title match to Italy in a penalty shootout at its home Wembley Stadium in London.
His eight years in the job transformed England鈥檚 record and reputation in international soccer, also reaching a semifinal and quarterfinal at back-to-back World Cups.
Criticized by some fans for being too cautious, Southgate won praise for restoring his players鈥� enjoyment of being with the national team, protecting them from criticism, and being a thoughtful commentator on social issues during a polarizing period in British society.
鈥淚 need to give myself time to make good decisions,鈥� Southgate said. 鈥淚鈥檓 fortunate that there are lots of opportunities presenting themselves.鈥�
Southgate distanced himself even before Euro 2024 from speculation he could be a target for Man United, which has made a poor start to the season under coach Erik ten Hag.
鈥淐lubs can only be successful if everything is aligned right the way through the club,鈥� said Southgate, whose previous experience of club management was with Middlesbrough, for three years after he finished playing there in 2006.
鈥淎nd I also know that maybe the smarter people sit in the boardrooms and the coaches are a little bit more dispensable than you think when you鈥檙e there,鈥� he said.
The 54-year-old former England defender said he was 鈥渁t an age where I want to work with good people鈥� and was interested by the business side of soccer.
鈥淚 am not just set on being a coach moving forward,鈥� Southgate said, adding he had been asked to speak at Harvard.