Southgate’s departure leaves England in search of a challenging successor.

After England’s devastating loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, Gareth Southgate resigned as manager of the national team, and the Football Association now faces the challenging challenge of finding a worthy replacement.

After leading the national team for eight years, Southgate announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying it was “time for change and for a new chapter.”

The FA’s headhunters will have their work cut out for them choosing the appropriate man to pen the next chapters in England’s agonizing attempt to win a major trophy since the World Cup in 1966.

The governing body had expressed a strong desire for Southgate to continue beyond the end of his current contract in December.

However, the 53-year-old’s decision to step down has sparked a convoluted succession debate that should be settled by September 7, when England plays the Republic of Ireland in a Nations League match.

The list of possible candidates that FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham and his advisors consider is riddled with doubts about their capacity to manage the particular demands of a position that England manager Graham Taylor famously referred to as “the impossible job.”

The front-runners are reportedly Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, and Graham Potter, three former Chelsea managers, along with Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

Potter was positioned as the early favorite of the bookies, but a miserable tenure at Stamford Bridge damaged the 49-year-old’s reputation.

Potter was fired by Chelsea less than seven months after receiving praise for his outstanding performance with Brighton due to his inability to manage the team’s prominent characters.

Potter was brought in to take Tuchel’s position, who was fired despite leading Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021.

The FA is reportedly open to consider a foreign coach, even though former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola are probably out of reach.

However, Tuchel may have trouble winning over some English fans because he is German.

After his turbulent stint at Bayern Munich, which ended last season with his team finishing 18 points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, Tuchel’s reputation somewhat soured.

High hopes
Pochettino left Chelsea by mutual accord in May after just one difficult season.

His excellent performance at Tottenham and his close bond with England captain Harry Kane, who became well-known during their time together in north London, continue to make him a desirable prospect.

Pochettino, however, is an Argentinean by nationality, and his inability to guide Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League title in spite of their abundance of skill is a stain on his resume. Argentina is another of England’s old adversaries.

Some people considered Howe to be an England manager in waiting when he successfully guided Newcastle from relegation contenders to Champions League qualification for the first time in 20 years.

However, the 46-year-old did not fare as well in the previous season, as Newcastle completed the Premier League in a disappointing seventh place. In addition, he was in charge when Bournemouth was demoted from the top flight in 2020.

Darren Eales, the chief executive of Newcastle, also stated on Tuesday that if the FA showed interest in Howe, he would battle to keep him.

The FA is under further strain due of England’s possibly risky World Cup qualification campaign in 2026.

England, being in Nations League B, is not eligible to start as the top seed in the World Cup qualifying round; instead, the top 12 teams in League A are awarded that honor.

Portugal, Spain, Germany, and France might all be waiting for England in groups where only the victor advances to the World Cup.

Bullingham said on Tuesday that there was “an interim solution in place if needed” despite his desire to schedule an appointment “as soon as possible.”

The temporary fix is believed to be England’s current under-21 coach, former Everton midfielder Lee Carsley.

Despite having no prior managing experience, Southgate’s seamless transition from the England Under-21 position suggests that the 50-year-old might be given permanent consideration.

The Three Lions’ dismal results en route to the Euro 2024 final, coupled with their circumspect demeanor in that encounter, guaranteed Southgate’s legacy as England’s near man.

Despite fielding a squad brimming with potential, he was unable to break England’s 58-year drought for a major prize as they lost both the 2018 World Cup semifinal and subsequent Euro finals.

It will be expected of whoever is appointed to succeed Southgate in the areas where he finally failed.