Gareth Southgate, the former manager of England, has ruled out a return to club management, confirming that football no longer holds the same place in his life since leaving his position in the summer of 2024.
Gareth Southgate, 56, has said he does not see himself managing in the Premier League again, as his relationship with the game has changed recently, despite the successes he has achieved with the England national team, including reaching the finals of the UEFA European Championship in 2021 and 2024.
In a conversation on the podcast "The Amol Rajan Connection", Southgate explained: "I have to say I don't see a scenario where I go back to coaching." He added that he has gradually lost the joy of winning during his recent time with the national team, saying: "Ultimately, I no longer enjoy victories for more than two minutes."
The English coach stated: "I have barely watched football since I left. I attended the UEFA Champions League final the year after I left England, and I also attended the FA Cup final in 2025 to see my team Crystal Palace win their first trophy, but I haven't been to any football stadium since then." He confirmed that he enjoyed the last eighteen months of his life, after spending 37 years where his sense of self was tied to the result of winning or losing on Saturday.
Gareth Southgate has led England to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2018, before reaching the final of the UEFA European Championship twice in a row, but he lost to Italy on penalties in 2021, and then to Spain by a score of 1-2 after extra time in the final of the 2024 edition.
Since his departure, he has worked as part of the technical observers group for UEFA and released his third book, "Dear England: Lessons in Leadership", while also presenting a documentary for the BBC addressing the challenges facing youth in the United Kingdom.
