Gareth Southgate called for football to ’embrace a modernised version of the traditional manager’ in the wake of several high-profile exits.
In a post on LinkedIn, the former England boss analysed the exits of Ruben Amorim, Enzo Maresca and Xabi Alonso from Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively, where he outlined ‘power struggles’ were the ‘root cause’ behind their untimely departures.
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Alonso became the latest headline name to be sacked after Madrid lost to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup finalCredit: Getty
Amorim was sacked by United due to a disagreement with the club’s executives, Maresca left after he butted heads on working with Chelsea’s medical staff while Alonso ultimately fell victim to player power in the Spanish capital.
What did Southgate post on LinkedIn?
“The erosion of a Manager’s authority has been a gradual process over many years,” Southgate wrote.
“It has accelerated with the widespread introduction of Football, Technical, or Sporting Directors, who now oversee long-term football strategy, report directly to CEOs or owners (or both), and sit structurally above the Head Coach.”
However, Southgate has ‘no issue with this evolution’ and believes planning ahead, setting a culture and continuity ‘are critical to success in any organisation’.
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He added the modern nature of football means a head coach has more on their plate than ever before.
Southgate felt head coaches nowadays are ‘managing larger squads, bigger backroom teams, far greater analytical demands, and an ever-increasing media and commercial obligations.’
It is why he bit back at the sentiment from some corners that the role of head coach has become easier, given the burden of transfers and scouting has been largely shouldered by beefed-up analytical teams along with sporting directors.
Instead, Southgate noted coaches today must deal with ‘the complexity of managing modern-day players, alongside the financial stakes for the clubs, and the relentless scrutiny of both traditional and social media’.
In Southgate’s mind, the mix of tasks has created ‘a significant melting pot of problems and pressure’ which has been exacerbated by the shift from manager to head coach.
The 55-year-old believes the tweak in title represents a ‘subtle, sometimes unintentional, shift in power and status’.
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Southgate believes the title tweak from manager to head coach has made it tougher for those in the dugoutCredit: Getty
Southgate’s stance on the matter was why, when he was offered to lead England as their head coach, he requested his title be tweaked to the England manager.
“Even though I consider myself calm, collaborative and confident, I understood the importance of authority, influence and control when leading a football operation,” Southgate said.
How did Southgate perform as England manager?
Southgate’s title tweak evidently paid dividends during his time in charge of the Three Lions.
Under Southgate’s stewardship, England reached the final at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 as well as the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
England’s performances at the two European championships are the only times the team has reached the final of a major tournament since they won the 1966 World Cup.
Aside from a remarkable uptick in on-field performances, Southgate oversaw a major culture shift within the team.
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Southgate was knighted for his work as England boss as he finished with 61 wins, 24 draws and 17 defeatsCredit: Getty
Previous iterations of the England squad had been dominated by club rivalries, with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard all expressing there was very little togetherness when they went into camp.
But under Southgate, pride was restored in the shirt as players came together for the greater good.
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Southgate departed his post in July 2024 after 102 games in charge, making him only the third England manager to have overseen a century of games behind Walter Winterbottom and Sir Alf Ramsey.
The 55-year-old has not returned to the dugout since he left the England role, although he has previously been linked with the post at Old Trafford.