Gareth Southgate rules out Premier League return

Gareth Southgate says he cannot picture himself managing in the Premier League.

The former England boss told The Amol Rajan Connection he does not see a scenario where he takes a job in England's top flight. The interview was published on 15 October 2026. BBC

Southgate stood down as England manager after Euro 2024. England lost that final to Spain in Berlin. He had also led the team to the Euro 2020 final.

That run gave him longevity few international managers enjoy. His 100th match in charge was the Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland. He left the role days after the Spain defeat, in July 2024, and Lee Carsley stepped in on an interim basis while a permanent successor was found.

He has not held a club job since Middlesbrough. That three-year spell began in 2006. It ended with the sack in 2009.

Southgate said the joy drained away towards the end with England. Wins felt good for a couple of minutes, then faded. The pressure never really lifted.

He has kept his distance since. He said he has hardly watched football since leaving the role. He has not been to a ground since the FA Cup final, when he watched Crystal Palace lift their first trophy.

Life has moved elsewhere. Earlier this year he fronted a BBC documentary travelling across the UK to understand the challenges facing young men and boys. He has also spent time in Boston as a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School.

His view of the modern club game helps explain the call. In January he said the authority of football managers is being steadily eroded by the way clubs are now structured. The Premier League job, with sporting directors and recruitment teams set above the head coach, is very different from leading a national team.

Southgate had already signalled he was in no hurry to come back. Shortly after leaving England he said he would not take a coaching role for at least a year. He added at the time that it was unlikely he would take charge of another country.

What makes this stand out is the calm in his voice. He is not chasing the next vacancy. He sounds content to let football carry on without him.

For fans, this means one of England's most successful modern managers is unlikely to appear on a Premier League touchline any time soon. The debate will move on to other names. Southgate seems happy to leave it behind.