"It might be the last chance" - Gareth Southgate makes big claim on England future amid Manchester United links
England manager Gareth Southgate has made a big claim on his future amid rumors linking him with a move to Manchester United this summer. The Three Lions' boss admitted that the forthcoming European Championship could be his last chance saloon with the national team.
Manchester United's search for a new manager has seen them get linked with multiple names in the last couple of months, and Gareth Southgate is one of them. The club are apparently not satisfied with Erik ten Hag's work this season and are looking to move on from the Dutchman.
According to Express, the Red Devils have already started talks with the England boss over a summer switch. Although the tactician recently came out to deny those links, the rumors continue to linger.
Now active with his side in the friendly games ahead of the Euros, Gareth Southgate seized the chance to address his future amid Manchester United links. The England boss reckoned that his future with the national team hinges on how they perform in the tournament.
"If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here anymore. Therefore, it might be the last chance," he told German outlet Bild (via Metro). "I think around half the national coaches leave after a tournament – that’s the nature of international football.
"I’ve been here for 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', because 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 Manchester United target added.
Gareth Southgate has been in charge of the England national team since taking over from Sam Allardyce in September 2016. So far, he's overseen 95 games with the side, recording 60 victories, 18 draws and 17 defeats.
The highlight of his time with the Three Lions came in 2020 when he reached the final of the Euros, losing to Italy 1-0. This is closely followed by his 2018 World Cup outing where he guided the team to the semifinals and lost to Croatia 2-1. It remains to be seen if he'll take over the reins at Manchester United next term.
What's next for Manchester United target Gareth Southgate and England?
It hasn't been the best of outings for Gareth Southgate and his men in their recent international friendlies. They suffered a 1-0 loss to Iceland in their last game (June 7), raising a lot of questions about their readiness for the Euros which kicks off in just a couple of days (June 14).
England will play their opening fixture versus Serbia on Sunday, June 16. They'll then go head-to-head with Denmark in the second outing on Thursday, June 20, before locking horns with Slovenia in their final group stage game on Tuesday, June 25.
The Three Lions have a good chance to progress into the knockout phase of the tournament considering the level of opposition in the group. However, a shock definitely can't be ruled out should they fail to perform at the top of their game.