Future of the Three Lions: Who are the favourites to be next permanent manager in England

It could be argued that there is no harder job in world football than managing England. The men’s team hasn’t tasted international glory since 1966 and the media scrutiny can at times be impossible to manage.

However, in recent times England finally look capable of fulfilling their talents and not since 1966 have the team been so close to ending their long awaited international drought. Beaten finalists in each of the last two European Championships, they also reached the semifinals of the World Cup back in 2018.

With the pressure and the job finally taking its toll on Gareth Southgate, it was confirmed shortly after the final of Euro 2024 that it would be his final game in charge. Having led England for so long, it’s now left the three lions and FA the task of finding a replacement.

Despite the challenges that the England job can present, there is no shortage of potential replacements, and in this article our resident football expert Kate Richardson will be on hand to guide us through the leading contenders for the job.

Who is the favourite to become the next permanent manager of the England national team after Gareth Southgate?

Eddie Howe

The favourite to replace Southgate and become England’s next manager is Eddie Howe. Howe is the new favourite due to the fantastic job he has done with Newcastle United.

Firstly guiding the Toon Army out of relegation trouble, Howe has managed to guide Newcastle up the table and shocked the Premier League when steering the Magpies into the Champions League for the first time in over twenty years. 

Despite a tough recent summer transfer window, Howe has publicly stated that he is committed to staying on as the Newcastle manager recently stating, ‘there’s nothing to talk about. I don’t need to address the players. They know, I hope, by how I act and how I am on a daily basis and how committed I am to the club.’

and his team have got off to a hot start in the new Premier League season accumulating seven points from their first three games. 

Although Newcastle have gotten off to a great start, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Howe remains in the frame to become the permanent England manager after Gareth Southgate. A young manager who seems to get the best out of his players, Howe’s stock is at an all time high and with his style of football sure to attract, he would be a brilliant appointment.

Graham Potter

Another name that has long been associated with becoming Gareth Southgate’s successor is Graham Potter. Having worked his way to the top of the game following successful stints in Sweden and with Brighton, Potter has taken his time in choosing his next job and it is more than possible that the former Chelsea manager could be persuaded into taking the top job in English football.

Having associated himself with promising young talent and playing a style that is slick and easy on the eye, Potter ticks all of the boxes that the FA would want to see in a potential England manager. Whether this job has come at the right time following his Chelsea debacle remains to be seen.

Lee Carsley

Lee Carsley is the current man in charge of England and the current England under-21s boss will be confident of making the job his own.

The approach to hire Carsley on an interim basis is a tried and tested method from the FA and follows on from the process that led to Gareth Southgate first taking the job. The appointment of Carsley was a no-brainer to be and if he can guide England to more wins, he looks to be a leading candidate to replace Southgate.

Ange Postecoglou

When looking back at England’s Euro 2024 Final defeat to Spain, one of the main criticisms labelled at Southgate was his unwillingness to attack and his desire to try to frustrate the opposition through stingy defensive play. 

Unable to make the most out of the attacking players at his disposal, one man who would completely move away from the defensive football that England fans have become so accustomed to seeing is Ange Postecoglou.

A former international manager with Australia, Postecoglou knows how international football works and he wouldn’t shy away from the challenge. 

Another manager like Graham Potter who has had to work his way to the top, Postecoglou has an exciting job with Tottenham and may be unwilling to end his time in North London so soon. Ever since Gareth Southgate has stepped down, England fans have craved the next England manager to be a front foot attacking manager. In Ange Postecoglou, they would certainly get that.

Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most successful manager’s in the history of the game and wherever the Italian has gone, success usually follows.

Despite the Real Madrid job being one of the hardest in football, Ancelotti has shown that he is the master and he has made the hardest job in football look like a doddle.

Likeable and laid back, Ancelotti doesn’t get flustered and would be seen as the perfect man who could replace Southgate and lead England to potential 2026 World Cup glory.

Linked with the Brazil job, if Ancelotti was to become available, the English FA would have a tough time in persuading the Ex-Chelsea manager to take the job. However, if they could persuade the Italian legend to take up the job, England would rate as serious challengers for any tournament that they lined up in.

Jurgen Klopp

It’s very rare that a manager of Jurgen Klopp’s quality is available, but having left Liverpool, the German finds himself without a club and many England fans would absolutely love him to become the next Three Lions boss. 

Possessing an ability to get the very best out of his players the former Liverpool manager is a manager that his players love. Klopp would bring a fast and frenetic way of playing that could get England over their recent tournament hump. Already linked with the England job, Klopp has distanced himself from the role, stating that it would be the ‘biggest loss of face in the history of football’, despite Klopp’s initial reluctance, it might not stop the FA from trying to land the popular German.

Pep Guardiola 

The one man England would love to see in the manager’s role is Pep Guardiola. A class above some of the other candidates that have been linked such as Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino, Guardiola is firmly in the running to become the game’s greatest ever manager bit for the first time since taking over at Man City in 2016, his future at the Etihad looks uncertain.

With Guardiola having won all of the game’s biggest prizes, the one area where he is yet to test himself is on the international scene.

Although the latest odds dictate that Guardiola becoming England’s next manager are long, Guardiola has been on record stating that a future in international management does appeal. 

Guardiola is no stranger to taking a break once he has finished at a club, so if England do want Guardiola they could have to wait.

England have the resources to land Guardiola and if England were able to acquire the Spaniard’s services, they could become one of the best teams in world football.

With the odds and market likely to constantly chop and change as to who will be the next England manager, there are plenty of sites where you could look to place a bet on who you think will be the next England boss. However, if you want to check out today’s football forecasts, MightyTips is one of the best sites where you will be able to see all of the latest market moves. From showcasing the best football betting sites, to predictions of all of the game’s biggest matches, everything you need is over at MightyTips.

Search showing no signs of slowing

Although Lee Carsley is currently the interim manager and was able to guide England to a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland, the search to replace Gareth Southgate goes on.

One of the biggest challenges in world football, whoever takes on the Head Coach role has the chance to write themselves into English football folklore forever. With no real time frame, it could be that the FA are willing to wait it out to see who might be available after a long, tough season.

Eddie Howe’s future with Newcastle looks uncertain, Potter remains without a job and the lure of both Klopp and Pep being without a club next summer could be too hard to resist.

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