ATHENS: Former England coach Gareth Southgate said Thursday he will be taking a year away from a club or national team job, after speculation he could be a target for Manchester United.
“I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I’m certain of that,” Southgate said during an on-stage interview to an audience of hundreds of soccer officials at a European Club Association meeting.
Southgate stepped down from the England job in July, two days after losing in the final of the European Championship for the second straight tournament. England lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin, three years after losing the title match to Italy in a penalty shootout at its home Wembley Stadium in London.
His eight years in the job transformed England’s record and reputation in international soccer, also reaching a semifinal and quarterfinal at back-to-back World Cups.
Criticized by some fans for being too cautious, Southgate won praise for restoring his players’ enjoyment of being with the national team, protecting them from criticism, and being a thoughtful commentator on social issues during a polarizing period in British society.
“I need to give myself time to make good decisions,” Southgate said. “I’m fortunate that there are lots of opportunities presenting themselves.”
Southgate distanced himself even before Euro 2024 from speculation he could be a target for Man United, which has made a poor start to the season under coach Erik ten Hag.
“Clubs can only be successful if everything is aligned right the way through the club,” said Southgate, whose previous experience of club management was with Middlesbrough, for three years after he finished playing there in 2006.
“And I also know that maybe the smarter people sit in the boardrooms and the coaches are a little bit more dispensable than you think when you’re there,” he said.
The 54-year-old former England defender said he was “at an age where I want to work with good people” and was interested by the business side of soccer.
“I am not just set on being a coach moving forward,” Southgate said, adding he had been asked to speak at Harvard.
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It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw, however, as they were outplayed by quicker, slicker Mouloudia for long periods of an often scrappy, foul-ridden match.
Despite losing for the first time in the group after two victories and two draws, Hilal retained first place with eight points.
Topping the table in the most competitive of the four groups is a remarkable achievement by Hilal given they have to stage home matches in Rwanda because of the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
Mouloudia had just one point after matchday three, but back-to-back home wins over Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Hilal have lifted them to second with seven points.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa have five points, one more than Lupopo, ahead of their clash in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
A win for Lupopo would leave Sundowns in danger of missing the knockout stage of the premier African club competition for only the second time since winning the 2016 final against Zamalek of Egypt.
In the final round on February 14, Hilal host Lupopo and Sundowns will have home advantage over Mouloudia, whose South African coach, Rhulani Mokwena, was formerly in charge of the Pretoria club.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate says he won’t coach in the next year
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Former England manager Gareth Southgate says he won’t coach in the next year
- “I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I’m certain of that,” Southgate said
- “I need to give myself time to make good decisions”
Ferhat stars as Mouloudia get CAF Champions League boost
- Muslim Anatouf scored after 15 minutes and a Ferhat thunderbolt on 44 minutes gave Mouloudia a two-goal half-time advantage
- It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw
JOHANNESBURG: Zinedine Ferhat created the first goal and scored the second for Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in a 2-1 win over Al Hilal of Sudan 2-1 on Friday that threw CAF Champions League Group C wide open.
Muslim Anatouf scored after 15 minutes and a Ferhat thunderbolt on 44 minutes gave Mouloudia a two-goal half-time advantage before a near-capacity crowd in the 45,000-seat Algiers stadium.
Hilal rarely threatened to reduce the deficit in a cauldron of cheering, singing and flag waving until Mauritanian Ahmed Salem M’Bareck netted with 13 minutes remaining.
Ghanaian substitute Kamaradini Mamudu had a late chance to bring Hilal level, but his header from a corner flew wide.
It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw, however, as they were outplayed by quicker, slicker Mouloudia for long periods of an often scrappy, foul-ridden match.
Despite losing for the first time in the group after two victories and two draws, Hilal retained first place with eight points.
Topping the table in the most competitive of the four groups is a remarkable achievement by Hilal given they have to stage home matches in Rwanda because of the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
Mouloudia had just one point after matchday three, but back-to-back home wins over Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Hilal have lifted them to second with seven points.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa have five points, one more than Lupopo, ahead of their clash in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
A win for Lupopo would leave Sundowns in danger of missing the knockout stage of the premier African club competition for only the second time since winning the 2016 final against Zamalek of Egypt.
In the final round on February 14, Hilal host Lupopo and Sundowns will have home advantage over Mouloudia, whose South African coach, Rhulani Mokwena, was formerly in charge of the Pretoria club.
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