FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham has revealed that there have been no approaches for England manager Gareth Southgate, but hinted at the existence of a “succession plan” if Southgate were to leave his post. Southgate’s contract is set to expire in December, and he has suggested that failure to win Euro 2024 could result in the end of his tenure. Although Southgate has been linked with a move to Manchester United, the club has decided to keep current manager Erik ten Hag after a post-season review.
Bullingham expressed his admiration for Southgate, stating that he has done a phenomenal job in transforming the fortunes of the national team. He highlighted Southgate’s success in leading England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, the final of Euro 2020, and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Bullingham also emphasized that Southgate’s future would be discussed after the tournament, as the focus should be on supporting him and the team during the competition.
When asked about potential successors to Southgate, Bullingham denied speaking to any potential candidates but acknowledged that any organization would have a succession plan in place for their top employees. He stated that different scenarios are planned for all top employees, and the FA is no different in this regard. Bullingham also dismissed the idea of setting an arbitrary level of success for Southgate based on the outcome of Euro 2024. Instead, he emphasized the importance of evaluating all factors after the tournament, including Southgate’s feelings and the overall performance of the team.
Regarding a potential successor, Bullingham mentioned that the FA currently has two senior coaches, one of whom is English and the other being England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman. He emphasized that it is important for any federation to have a pool of top homegrown talent playing and managing at any given time.
Moving on to concerns about England’s opening Euros match against Serbia, Bullingham stated that it is ultimately up to the police and UEFA to assess the risk level of the match. He mentioned that England’s fans have been great supporters of the team in recent years and expressed hope that their behavior would continue to be positive. Bullingham also praised the German police for their ability to police football tournaments effectively and urged fans to support the team in the right way.
Bullingham also addressed the issue of racial abuse on social media directed at England players during the Euros. He revealed that the FA is contributing at least £25,000 to help the UK Football Policing Unit investigate and prosecute trolls who engage in racial abuse. The aim is to ensure that instances of vile abuse are not only reported but also prosecuted. Bullingham stressed the importance of providing the police with the necessary resources to take action against such behavior.
In summary, Bullingham’s comments shed light on the FA’s approach to Southgate’s future as England manager and the existence of a succession plan. He praised Southgate’s achievements and emphasized the need to evaluate his tenure after Euro 2024. Bullingham also addressed concerns about the upcoming match against Serbia and encouraged fans to support the team in a respectful manner. Lastly, he highlighted the FA’s commitment to combating racial abuse on social media by providing resources for investigation and prosecution.