Gareth Southgate: Keeping England manager 'tough ask' for FA, says technical director Les Reed
Tuesday 10 September 2019 19:14, UK
FA technical director Les Reed has admitted it could be a "tough ask" to prevent Gareth Southgate from leaving his role as England manager to join a Premier League club.
Southgate has overseen a dramatic transformation since being promoted from his role as U21 boss in 2016, leading England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the inaugural Nations League finals the following summer.
The 49-year-old's only previous experience as a club manager came in a three-year spell at Middlesbrough, from where he was sacked in 2009 soon his side had been relegated from the Premier League.
"It would be a tough ask depending on what he was offered," Reed told Sky Sports News. "But I know Gareth's mindset at the moment is that he wants to be an England manager that wins something.
"I think the attraction of being the next England manager to take us to a World Cup final is a strong pull and also I think he knows that by doing that his stock's not going to go down.
"Obviously it's something that we have in the back of our minds all the time but I know that Gareth's motivation is with this team and developing this team moving forward."
England have carried their impressive form under Southgate into qualifying for the 2020 European Championships and will be looking to maintain their perfect start to the campaign when they host Kosovo on Tuesday evening.
Southgate's side defeated Bulgaria 4-0 at Wembley on Saturday to make it three wins from three in Group A, with 14 goals scored and just one conceded.
Read Rob Dorsett's full interview with Les Reed here.
