Gareth Southgate should be given a chance says Peter Taylor
Thursday 29 September 2016 12:33, UK
Former England caretaker manager Peter Taylor believes current caretaker Gareth Southgate should be given a chance to prove he is worthy of the job full-time.
Southgate has been placed in temporary charge of England's next four games following Sam Allardyce's departure on Tuesday evening.
Taylor was caretaker manager for England's game against Italy in November 2000 while he was still manager of Leicester City and he thinks Southgate could grow into the role.
"I quite like the Gareth Southgate situation, I think he should be given a chance," Taylor told Sky Sport News HQ.
"Gareth could have a very successful four matches as well and there's no doubt about it that from the day Glenn Hoddle walked into the FA in 1996 and the day he left he was a far better England manager because he learnt game on game.
"Now to me Gareth could have four matches to learn, do well, we could qualify for the 2018 Russia World Cup and then all of a sudden he'll have some other staff in place and that could be the answer as well."
Southgate, 46, had ruled himself out of the running for the England position before Allardyce's appointment in July feeling that he did not have the required experience.
In the aftermath of Allardyce's departure however, Southgate has been handed the reins for England's matches against Malta and Slovenia in October and against Scotland and Spain in November.
Taylor also suggested that another situation which could work for the national side would be a joint-manager role, whereby somebody with more experience came in alongside Southgate to assist him.
"I think you can get people with experience alongside maybe," Taylor added.
"For instance with Gareth Southgate now, to me he could get another experienced man alongside him who's been there before to help, like a Glenn Hoddle. That sort of thing also can work."
Another man who has been heavily linked with the England manager's position is Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, though the 38-year-old stressed his commitment to the Cherries on Thursday.
Taylor, however, feels it is too early for Howe to take the role just yet, and that the ideal appointment in his eyes would be the return of Hoddle. .
"It might be too early [for Howe] yeah I think so," Taylor said.
"I have no doubt that he's a potential England manager because people enjoy working with him and playing for him but it might be a little bit too soon at the minute and I'm sure Eddie's also saying the things he's saying because he's manager of Bournemouth.
"For me Glenn Hoddle would be a first class choice because he really understands the game, the opponents, the level.
"I don't think it matters that Glenn has been on this side [the media] of it for the last so many years, I don't think that matters at all. I don't think he's lost any of his knowledge of international football.
"To me he would fit the bill perfectly but again people from the FA might be nervous that if Glenn gets appointed they might get some stick which is a shame really because at the end of the day should go for the best football man."
