FA board gives approval for foreign manager to take England men’s job | England

The board of the Football Association has officially sanctioned the hiring of a foreign manager to succeed Gareth Southgate.

According to information from The Guardian, chief executive Mark Bullingham sought the approval of his nine fellow board members to pursue foreign candidates as part of the recruitment process. The board reportedly supported Bullingham’s proposal without a formal vote, though there were some opposing opinions.

Bullingham’s approach to the board signifies that the FA is open to various candidates for the England men’s manager position and is committed to securing the most suitable applicant. During discussions, the board referenced Sarina Wiegman’s success in guiding England’s women to victory in the 2022 European Championship as a positive example for considering an overseas manager.

Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel are the top foreign candidates, as both have become available after their departures from Chelsea and Bayern Munich, respectively, last season. However, their salary expectations may pose a challenge for the FA, which was compensating Southgate approximately £5 million annually.

Potential English candidates include Newcastle’s Eddie Howe and Graham Potter, who has been without a club since leaving Chelsea 16 months ago.

The search led by Bullingham and technical director John McDermott will involve creating a shortlist and conducting interviews before bringing their preferred candidate back to the board for final approval. With England’s next match approaching—a Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland on 7 September, and the squad announcement set for two weeks prior—it’s likely that under-21 manager Lee Carsley will be asked to step in as interim manager.

Carsley may also be considered for the permanent position, given his recent success in winning the European Under-21 Championship last summer, where his team won all six matches without conceding a goal, finishing with a victory over Spain in the final.

As Bullingham prepares to appoint his first senior England men’s manager—the role previously held by Martin Glenn, who appointed Southgate—he has mentioned a succession plan was in place before England’s recent run to the European Championship final last month.

“Every organization has a succession plan for top-tier positions, and we are no exception,” he noted. “This plan usually covers everything from how to handle short-term replacements to the selection process for candidates.”