Gareth Southgate has dropped his clearest hint that he is ready to quit as England boss.
Southgate admitted he is still haunted by the fierce criticism of the last 18 months and in particular the toxic night at Molineux when England fans called for him to be sacked. Football Association chiefs are desperate for Southgate to stay on, lead England into the next Euros and see out his contract, which expires in 2024.
But even after enjoying a memorable World Cup campaign and having the full support of the players, Southgate could walk away because of the flak received during last summer’s Nations League campaign, which included a 4-0 defeat to Hungary.
England boss Southgate said: “Look, I've found large parts of the last 18 months difficult. For everything that I've loved about the last few weeks, I still have how things have been for 18 months.
“What's been said and what's been written, the night at Wolves, there's lots of things in my head that’s really conflicted at the moment, so what I want to make sure, if it's the right thing to say, is that I've definitely got the energy to do that.
“I don't want to be four or five months down the line thinking I've made the wrong call. It's too important for everybody to get that wrong.
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“After every tournament, I’ve sat with everybody at the FA and talked things through logically and I think that's the right process to go through again.”
Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham were among the players to all offer their public support after the France defeat as they urged Southgate to stay. But Southgate has made no secret that he has found the last 18 months since the Euros very difficult, draining on his family and also that he wants another job in club football.
England now have three months before the start of the Euros qualifiers and the FA will want an answer within the next few weeks.
Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel have been linked with the post but the FA want to stick with Southgate and ideally also want a manager who has been through the St George’s Park system.
Southgate added: “When I've been through the past few tournaments, my emotions have been difficult to really think through properly in those following few weeks. It took so much energy and you have so much going through your mind.
“I want to make the right decision either way because it has to be the right one to go again, or the right one not to go again and I don't think now is the time to make a decision like that. Neither are the next few days really.”
