England manager also jokes he may never wear his waistcoat again
Thursday 30 August 2018 23:40, UK
England manager Gareth Southgate admits no contract extension talks have taken place with the FA as he remains fully focused on their charge for Euro 2020 - a journey which may come without his famous waistcoat.
Southgate named his England squad for September's matches against Spain and Switzerland, both live on Sky Sports, with Luke Shaw coming in for Manchester United team-mate Ashley Young.
Shaw's inclusion was one of five changes to the World Cup squad which came fourth under Southgate, whose current four-year deal runs until after Euro 2020.
When asked about a possible extension, he said: "No. There have been discussions around what we have done and I have to say the board have been great in terms of buying into us pushing the young players and that could have gone differently for us in the summer.
"For me it is not a priority. That is how I get the team going in the next couple of years, really.
"In terms of contract, I have got 20 months - we are into the second half of this four-year plan. I am loving the role, I have been away, and it has not been a priority."
England's World Cup run to the semi-finals was ended with a 2-1 loss to Croatia after extra-time, and while players Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford and Kieran Trippier all made the headlines along the way, so too did Southgate's choice of attire.
Southgate's decision to don a waistcoat led to retailers Marks & Spencer reporting a 35 per cent rise in sales over the summer. However, the 47-year-old joked it could now be a thing of the past.
"I'm not sure I'll ever wear a waistcoat again," he said. "We only have one option with the current sponsorship agreement. But I'll make a decision based on the weather."
