Why I stepped away from football – Southgate

Ex-England coach, Gareth Southgate Photo: GETTY IMAGES

A former England manager Gareth Southgate has revealed why he stepped away from football after leaving his role as Three Lions boss following Euro 2024.

The 56-year-old, who guided England to back-to-back European Championship finals at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, said he no longer sees himself returning to club management in the Premier League.

Southgate resigned after England’s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final and has remained out of management since then.

As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, speaking on The Amol Rajan Connection, Southgate admitted that his enjoyment of football had declined towards the end of his time with the national team.

“I don’t see a scenario where I do that,” he said when asked about the possibility of returning to Premier League management.

“Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying, at the very least for a period, the wins keep you going.

“By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes. So, I’ve hardly watched football.”

The former Middlesbrough manager added that he had not returned to a football ground since attending the FA Cup final to watch his boyhood club, Crystal Palace, win their first major trophy.

“I went to the FA Cup final to see my team, Crystal Palace, win their first trophy. I’ve not been to a football ground since. So my sort of desire to be involved in football has changed,” he added.

Southgate, who managed Middlesbrough for three years from 2006, has instead embraced new opportunities since leaving the England job.

He has worked in the media, presented a BBC documentary exploring the challenges facing young men and boys, and served as a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston.

The former England defender said the change had allowed him to discover interests beyond the pressures of football management.

“I’ve loved the last 18 months of my life,” he said.

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“I’ve had 37 years where my sense of self depended on did I win or lose on Saturday. And actually I’ve loved having different experiences.

“I’ve met politicians, I’ve met people in the media industry, I have learned about leadership in all sorts of areas, I’ve travelled around the world learning things.
“I’ve just enjoyed playing a different film in my life.”

On Manchester City’s financial case
Southgate also weighed in on Manchester City’s ongoing legal battle over alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations.

An independent commission found the club guilty of the majority of charges relating to the period between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

Manchester City have denied wrongdoing and submitted an appeal on 2 October.

Southgate warned that the case could have far-reaching consequences for English football, regardless of the eventual outcome.

He acknowledged that some supporters would want severe punishment for the club but urged caution, citing his experience of working with football authorities and governing bodies.

“There’ll be the tribal fans’ response to punish Manchester City as much as we can, relegate them, fine them, do whatever you can,” he said.

“I’ve been in football boardrooms, I’ve been in meetings with Uefa, I’ve been in meetings with Fifa, I have been in all these spaces and I know how complicated all of this is.”

Southgate added that he believed there would be no winners from the dispute, given the potential for further legal proceedings and the difficulty of determining an appropriate punishment.

“My underlying thought is none of this is good for football and there are no winners,” he said.

He also questioned how the Premier League would manage the consequences of the case while ensuring the wider game remained on track.

“That’s unbelievably complex,” he added.
For now, Southgate appears content to remain outside the dugout, enjoying a new chapter of his life after years of working under the intense scrutiny that comes with managing England.