Gareth Southgate has kept a low profile ahead of the World Cup, but the former England manager says he doesn’t want to get in the way of his national team during the tournament.
Gareth Southgate has spoken about his decision not to work in television during the World Cup (Image: The Football Boardroom)
Gareth Southgate was aware that his presence as a pundit during the World Cup could have had a negative impact on the England team, so he decided not to cover the tournament on TV.
The former England manager led the Three Lions to four major competitions, two World Cups and two European Championships, but announced he was stepping down following their defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Southgate has since replaced Thomas Tuchel in charge, but has kept a low profile since leaving England’s national team and it remains to be seen whether he will return as manager.
However, he could have been a commentator for this summer’s World Cup, but he was reluctant to do so due to the risk of distracting from the team.
Sending England a well-wishes on Instagram, the 55-year-old explained: “This is obviously a very different tournament for me. I have been to the last seven World Cups as a player, broadcaster, scout and manager.
“I made a conscious decision not to go on TV this time. I didn’t think it would be beneficial for me to talk about the team.”
He added: “I don’t want anything to be misconstrued or thrown at them at the press conference. So it’s best to stay out of the way.”
Southgate resigns as England manager after Euro 2024 final defeat (Image: Getty Images)
Southgate led England to the finals of Euro 2024 and Euro 2020, and also oversaw semi-final and quarter-final appearances in two World Cups.
He is rooting for Tuchel’s side to do well in this tournament, saying England are “ready to win” ahead of Wednesday’s Group L opener against Croatia.
“I would like to take a moment to wish all the players good luck. The fact that they have had finals nights so far means they go into the tournament full of confidence.
“They’ve overcome a lot of hurdles to win, including the penalty shootout and the semi-finals. We’re pretty close and they’re ready to win. I’m looking forward to watching. I hope everyone has a great game and I’m going to stay out of the way.”
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