Former Manchester United defender-turned-pundit Gary Neville has conceded he isn't as confident Gareth Southgate will stay on as England manager now as he was a few days ago.
Speculation has been rife over whether the Three Lions boss will remain in his post following elimination from the World Cup at the quarter-final stage against France. Further doubt shrouded Southgate's future when he admitted he felt "conflicted" over what to do, but Neville was quick to suggest he'd stay put.
Days later, the ex-England assistant coach appears to have slightly changed his stance, while also remaining upbeat about the manner in which the Three Lions were knocked out by Les Bleus - a side he feels are the best national team in the world.
Discussing his U-turn on Southgate's future, Neville told ITV : "(I’m) not as convinced as I was the other night [that he will stay as England manager]. Just because of the fact he’s got a contract until 2024, and he said that he wants to have a chat with the FA in the new year, he could have put that to bed and said I want to carry on."
He went on to explain why last Saturday's defeat by France felt different from other major tournament exits in years gone by.
"I’ve been obsessed in the last 20 years in tournaments where we’ve said we have had 35%, 45% possession - we had 57% possession against France, the best team in the world on Saturday, and we lost that game through a very fine margin - a penalty, ref’s decision, a missed chance. (Despite) these little things, I thought we competed really well in that game," Neville added.
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The ex-United captain continued by deliberating over whether one more tournament would be enough for Southgate should he decide to continue, suggesting that someone else will be at the helm for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
"I’ve never gone out of a tournament feeling to be fair that we’ve matched a top team as much as we did on Saturday, and I’m absolutely convinced Gareth should carry on until 2024.
"Beyond that, maybe not, as it might be that four tournaments is as far as it goes, but for me he should absolutely carry on, but I’m not as convinced as I was that he will."
Southgate's own update on his immediate future made for interesting reading as the England manager was reluctant to give too much away while talking to reporters.
"When I’ve been through the past few tournaments, my emotions have been difficult to really think through properly in those following few weeks,” he said. "It took so much energy out of you 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."
