Gareth Southgate has all but ruled out a return to Premier League management and admitted he “hardly” watches football, revealing that he did not even enjoy victories for more than a couple of minutes towards the end of his time in charge of England.
The 56-year-old, who has moved away from the game since stepping down as England manager after defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final, indicated during an appearance on the Amol Rajan Connection podcast that he had no interest in seeking another top-flight job. “I don’t see a scenario where I do that,” he said.
Southgate described how the satisfaction he once took from winning gradually eroded. “Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying … at the very least for a period, the wins keep you going. By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes. So, I’ve hardly watched football,” he said.
His last visit to a ground came at Wembley in May 2025, when he watched his boyhood club Crystal Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final. He has not returned since. “I went to the FA Cup final to see my team, Crystal Palace, win their first trophy. I’ve not been to a football ground since,” he said. “So my sort of desire to be involved in football has changed.”
Southgate spent almost eight years in charge of England, twice coming close to ending the men’s team’s wait for a first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup. His only experience of club management came at Middlesbrough, where he spent almost three and a half years after replacing Steve McClaren in 2006. He was unable to keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League in 2009.
Since leaving the England role, Southgate has pursued other interests. He has launched a podcast and fronted a BBC documentary in which he travelled across the UK to understand the challenges facing young men and boys. “I’ve loved the last 18 months of my life,” he said. “I’ve had 37 years where my sense of self depended on did I win or lose on Saturday. And actually I’ve loved having different experiences.”
He added: “I’ve met politicians, I’ve met people in the media industry, I have learned about leadership in all sorts of areas, I’ve travelled around the world learning things. I’ve just enjoyed playing a different film in my life.”