England eye surprise candidate to replace Gareth Southgate after EURO 2024 - Reports
England have reportedly identified Lee Carsley as a potential replacement for Gareth Southgate after UEFA Euro 2024. While they want to continue with Southgate, he has come under immense pressure in the ongoing tournament.
Southgate has been the Three Lions' manager since 2016. He has failed to win any tournament but did lead them to the Euro 2021 final, where they lost to Italy on penalties in the final. He previously managed the U21 side before becoming the manager of the first team.
England have qualified for the Round of 16 in the ongoing Euro 2024. They topped the group and were unbeaten in their three group games. They beat Serbia 1-0 before drawing against Denmark (1-1) and Slovenia (0-0). However, their performances have been quite disappointing.
As per talkSPORT, this could see Southgate getting sacked despite the FA initially wanting to continue with him. They have identified current England U21 manager Lee Carsley as a potential replacement. He led the side to the U21 European Championships triumph last year. Graham Potter and Eddie Howe have also been identified as potential targets.
Gareth Southgate on his future after England's Euro 2024 group stage
England have faced immense criticism for their performances in the three games at Euro 2024. They started their campaign with a 1-0 drab win over Serbia. They were then outplayed in a 1-1 draw against Denmark before playing another underwhelming 0-0 draw against Slovenia.
Fans and pundits alike have criticized the players' performances and Gareth Southgate's tactics and decisions. After their final group game against Slovenia, the Three Lions manager addressed his future at the job and said (via talkSPORT):
“If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here any more. So maybe it is the last chance. I think around half the national coaches leave after a tournament — that’s the nature of international football.
"I’ve been here almost eight years now and we’ve come close. You can’t constantly put yourself in front of the public and say, ‘A little more please’, as at some point people lose faith. If we want to be a great team and I want to be a top coach, you must deliver in big moments.”
The Harry Kane-led side will now face Slovakia in their Euro 2024 Round of 16 clash at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, June 30.