Who are the potential candidates for new England manager?

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Posted: June 29, 2016

Updated: October 6, 2017

After Roy Hodgson’s resignation, England need a new manager. After their embarrassing exit from the Euros, it might be tough to attract anyone. Who are the candidates for new England manager?

Gareth Southgate: 3.00 @ Bwin

Candidates for England Manager Best odds

  • Gareth Southgate @ 3.00
  • Eddie Howe @ 11.00
  • Jurgen Klinsmann @ 17.00

Southgate has only ever managed one club: Middlesbrough, whom he left almost a decade ago, after getting them relegated to the Championship. He has however managed the English youth teams successfully: the u20s winning the Toulon tournament this summer. He fits the bill in many regards: former England player who knows the set-up and players very well. However, is he actually a good manager? He’d be a depressingly unambitious hire, but his odds are low due to the possibility that he could be hired in a short term capacity.

Gareth Southgate

England U21 manager Gareth Southgate (Photo: Telegraph)

Glenn Hoddle: 11.00 @ BetVictor

According to online sportsbooks in the UK, Hoddle is second favourite to be new England manager. That he is even among the candidates for new England manager seems to be due to a mix of desperation, nostalgia, and lack of imagination. That someone who has had a generally unsuccessful management career could even be considered is depressing for England. Of course, he was in charge when England had one of their more memorable tournaments: France 1998. They lost on penalties then, but at least it was to Argentina not Iceland. However, it seems people are betting on him just because he’s on TV nowadays. He surely won’t be considered.

Glenn Hoddle

ITV Pundit Glenn Hoddle (Photo: Sports Blog)

Eddie Howe: 11.00 @ Unibet

In some ways, Eddie Howe is an ideal candidate. He’s a talented English manager, who appears to be both charismatic and have a grasp of tactical nuance. He was recently voted the Football League Manager of the Decade, celebrating his achievement of leading Bournemouth from League Two to the Premier League. His first season at the top level was a success, and he has interested clubs higher up the table. However, he lacks experience at the top level: he’s never experienced European or International football as a player or a manager. He could certainly be a candidate in future, though perhaps now is the best time: if he leads the successful career he looks destined for, perhaps it’s better to hire him now before he becomes unattainable.

Eddie Howe

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe (Photo: FourFourTwo)

Alan Pardew: 13.00 @ BetVictor

As one more the most prominent managers in English football, it’s inevitable that Pardew would be among candidates for new England manager. However, it’s doubtful that he’d be under consideration if he were of a different nationality. While he has managed several mid-table premier league teams, his sides seem to be vulnerable to terrible spells of form. He does have some form of getting teams to Cup Finals, but that shouldn’t be enough to hire him as England manager. While he’d certainly accept the position, he’s unlikely to be very high up the list of candidates.

Alan Pardew

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew (Photo: Telegraph)

Harry Redknapp: 15.00 @ Unibet

When online sportsbooks decided their favouritses for England manager in 2012, Redknapp topped the pile. He missed out to Roy Hodgson, partly due to suspicions about his allegedly dodgy business dealings. He managed Tottenham in the Champions League, and had some great European nights of the sort England would dream of having internationally. However, in the past four years Redknapp’s reputation was greatly diminished by his poor spell at QPR. His time may have passed.

Harry Redknapp

Redknapp had a unsuccessful time at QPR (Photo: Telegraph)

Sam Allardyce: 17.00 @ Bet365

Allardyce would be a controversial appointment as England manager. He is famed for his simplistic tactical style, his reliance on a physical approach, and his ability to save teams for relegation. His football may be deemed too simplistic for international level, although he surely could have found a way to beat Iceland. UK gambling news reports that his odds are falling, but it would still be a surprise if he were appointed.

Big Sam

Could “Big Sam” leave Sunderland for the England job? (Photo: Buzz)

Jurgen Klinsmann: 17.00 @ Betfair

Some in the English media see Klinsmann as the ideal candidate and on the surface it’s easy to see why. He won the World Cup as a player, and managed the German team to third place in the 2006 World Cup. He is fondly remembered in England for his successful time at Tottenham, and he has led the United States to the knockout stages of the 2014 World Cup, and most recently the semi-finals of Copa America Centenario. The only problem is that he has a reputation as a charlatan who relies upon his assistants for tactical wisdom, and relies solely on man management. His self-confidence could help England overcome the mental block that affects them in, but many in the US would be glad to see his poached by England.

Klinsmann

Is Klinsmann qualifed for the England job? (Photo: Penn Live)

Gary Neville: 21.00 @ NetBet

Until his brief (and disastrous) spell at Valencia, Neville seemed the perfect candidate to replace Hodgson. After a long England career, he became the nation’s most insightful football analyst on TV. His time as England assistant manager was meant to prepare him to follow Hodgson, and he’s certain to have learned much from this time. However, especially after his time in Spain, his inexperience is likely to mean his candidacy doesn’t seem credible.

Gary Neville Valencia

Gary Neville didn’t have a happy time at Valencia (Photo: Sky Sports)

Rafa Benitez: 26.00 @ Bet365

In many ways Benitez would be the perfect choice. Although Spanish, he lives in England and has spent much of his career in English football. He has an expert grasp of tactics, and thrives in cup competitions. He has managed some of the greatest clubs in the world, so certainly shouldn’t crack under the pressure like many see Hodgson as having done. The only problem is that he recently agreed to remain at Newcastle United. Perhaps it’s a simple decision and he’d sacrifice the Toon for such a high-level job, but anybody would be wary about disappointing a whole city of passionate football fans. Depending on how he would feel about leaving Newcastle so soon, he is certainly one of the stronger candidates for new England manager.

Rafa Benitez

Rafa Benitez seems happy at Newcastle (Photo: Sky Sports)

Arsenal Wenger: 21.00 @ BetVictor

Wenger is regarded by many as an archetypal foreign manager, hailed for bringing continental ideas to England, but he has spent the majority of his managerial career in North London. He is famed for his attractive football and revolutionising scouting and preparation. However, his reputation has fallen in recent years and his Arsenal teams have suffered mental frailty of the sort that England show at major tournaments. More problematically, he is under contract at Arsenal and will be unlikely to leave without giving it one last shot at a major title.

Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger has turned down the England job before (Photo: Sportskeeda)


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