England’s early seven-man shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate has emerged ahead of talks over his future

A group of ‘possible candidates’ are being considered by the FA, including Graham Potter.

A shortlist of possible candidates to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager has emerged, according to a new report, with Graham Potter and Lee Carsley mentioned.

Southgate’s future as England boss remains in the balance after the Three Lions ended their Euro 2024 campaign with a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Spain.

Ahead of the final in Berlin, Southgate promised to make a quick decision about his future after the Euro 2024 final.

But on Sunday night, after a late Mikel Oyarzabal strike sealed a record-breaking fourth Euros for Spain, the 53-year-old former Middlesbrough manager said now is “not the time” to make a call.

He added: “I need to talk to the right people and give myself a bit of time. To get to another final… it was a privilege to have the opportunity. But to come up short is hard at the moment.”

Speculation is rife as to who will lead England to the World Cup and beyond, with several names being linked to one of the most high-profile jobs in international football.

According to The Telegraph, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will be high up on the FA’s shortlist if Southgate does decide to leave his post.

Other leading candidates to replace Southgate include Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and England under-21 manager Lee Carsley.

The above report also mentions Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as candidates who ‘could’ enter the frame, although they would be considered outsiders compared to the others mentioned above.

Image credit: Getty

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and technical director John McDermott would spearhead the process to appoint Southgate’s replacement if the scenario plays out.

Ahead of England’s opener against Serbia in June, Southgate admitted that he would likely stand down as manager if his side didn’t win the tournament.

“If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here anymore,” he told German newspaper BILD. “So maybe it is the last chance. I think around half the national coaches leave after a tournament – that’s the nature of international football.

“I’ve been here almost eight years now and we’ve come close. You can’t constantly put yourself in front of the public and say, ‘A little more please,’ as at some point people lose faith.”

He added: “If we want to be a great team and I want to be a top coach, you must deliver in big moments.”