According to British media outlet The Independent, the Football Association (FA) views Pep Guardiola as the ideal candidate for the national team’s coaching position and is willing to hire an interim coach to facilitate the transition.
On Tuesday morning London time, Gareth Southgate announced his resignation as the head coach of the England national team. Upon this news, the FA has already begun considering potential successors. They believe that the most important characteristic of the new appointment should be a deep understanding of English football culture.
Guardiola, who has coached in England for eight years with Manchester City, is seen as the perfect fit for the job. Speculation suggests that Guardiola will leave Manchester City after the 2024/25 season. In the past, the Spanish coach has expressed interest in managing a national team and was even romantically linked to the Brazil national team coaching role. However, due to his Catalan identity, he is less interested in taking over the Spanish national team.
The only issue now is that the 53-year-old coach will not be available until the end of the 2024/25 season. The European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup begin in late March 2025, leaving the FA with little time to ponder their options. As such, they are even contemplating hiring an interim head coach. Current U21 national team coach Lee Carsley and women’s national team coach Weiman are both potential candidates for this role.