Tottenham’s Ange Postecooglou among FA’s candidates to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager

According to Jason Burt of The Telegraph, Ange Postecoglou is a name in the Football Association’s (FA) shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager.

The Tottenham Hotspur head coach is said to fit the criteria of the FA, and is specifically appreciated by England technical director John McDermott, who is set to lead the process of appointing Southgate’s successor.

Born in Greece but raised in Australia, Postecoglou would become the third foreign England manager in history, but also the third of the past six (excluding Sam Allardyce’s infamous one match in charge), and is one of few candidates to have both won trophies abroad and managed in England.

The 58-year-old won several trophies with Brisbane Roar, Australia’s men’s national team, and Japanese side Yokohama F.Marinos, before moving to Celtic, where he won the Scottish Premiership in each of his two seasons, the last of which included a domestic treble.

As for his time so far at Spurs, The Lilywhites started last season strong, but ultimately curtailed towards the end of the season under Postecoglou with a fifth place league finish and therefore qualification for Europa League football. As such, despite the potential interest from England, the North London side are still expected to back their head coach ahead of next season, as they have already done in the transfer market with the £40m signing of youngster Archie Gray from Leeds.

The job in charge of The Three Lions became available following their 2-1 loss in the 2024 European Championship final to Spain, with Gareth Southgate stepping down amid the expiry of his contract in December of this year.

Consequently, there has been much speculation over who will succeed the former Middlesbrough head coach, who led his nation to back-to-back Euro finals and a World Cup semi-final in an almost historic eight-year spell in charge.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is said to be among the leading candidates considered by the FA, alongside former Chelsea bosses Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and Graham Potter, as well as Pep Guardiola – the latter of which could see an interim appointed before the Spaniard officially joins England upon the expiry of his contract at Manchester City in June 2025.

Though, regardless of who England’s head coach may be come the World Cup 2026 in Central America – or even Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland – the entire nation will be hoping the new boss can replicate Sarina Wiegman’s job for the women’s team and finally bring men’s football home for England.

Travis Levison | Get Football