Gareth Southgate Says He Has No Plans to Return to Premier League Management

Gareth Southgate has ruled out a return to Premier League management, saying his relationship with football changed during the closing stages of his England spell and that he has found fresh purpose away from the touchline.

Southgate dismisses Premier League return

The former England manager was asked on The Amol Rajan Connection whether he could envisage taking another job in the English top flight. His response left little room for a future comeback, with Southgate saying he could not see himself taking that route.

Southgate has not managed a club since Middlesbrough dismissed him in October 2009, ending a three-year period in charge that began in June 2006. His record on Teesside stood at 45 victories from 151 games.

• Southgate’s Middlesbrough side beat Manchester City 8-1 during his time in charge.
• The club were relegated from the Premier League in 2009.
• His departure came with Boro fourth in the Championship, and it now appears set to remain his last role in club football.
• At international level, he led England to the Euro 2020 final.

England pressure affected his enjoyment

Southgate said the intensity surrounding the England job had gradually eroded his enjoyment of the sport. While victories initially helped sustain him, he explained that even winning had stopped providing lasting satisfaction by the end of his tenure.

That detachment has continued since he left the national set-up. Southgate said he has watched very little football and has attended just one match: Crystal Palace’s FA Cup final victory, when his boyhood club won the first trophy in their history. He has not returned to a stadium since that occasion.

The 55-year-old’s comments bring an apparent end to speculation connecting him with prominent Premier League vacancies. He has made clear that the regular demands of transfers, fixtures and weekly results no longer appeal in the way they once did.

A different life beyond management

Rather than pursue another coaching post, Southgate has widened his work outside football over the past 18 months. He recently presented a BBC documentary examining issues affecting boys and young men across the United Kingdom, while also working as a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston.

He said that, after 37 years in which his sense of identity was closely tied to Saturday results, he has enjoyed experiencing other fields and perspectives.

• Southgate has met figures from politics and the media.
• He has explored leadership across different industries.
• He has travelled internationally to learn from experiences beyond elite football.
• Broadcasting and leadership education are now expected to form the main part of his post-management work.

For now, Southgate’s focus is firmly on that new chapter rather than a return to the Premier League dugout.