- Gareth Southgate stepped down as England coach after the defeat to Spain
- As a guest on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, he said it was ‘time for a change’
- LISTEN NOW: It all starts! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
Gareth Southgate revealed he had made the decision to step down as England manager before the end of Euro 2024, despite leading the Three Lions to the final.
Southgate resigned just two days after the painful 2-1 defeat to Spain and remains out of work after being linked with several clubs including Manchester United.
While you are hosting Desert Island discs from BBC Radio 4the 54-year-old opened up about his emotional departure, insisting it was “time for change on all sides.”
He also chose Adele’s Someone Like You as one of eight songs he would take with him if he were tossed out to a desert island, explaining that he kept the hit on repeat during the tournament in Germany because “I knew that I would leave’.
Of the song, Southgate said: “There were so many words in it that, even when I hear it today, it relates to my relationship with England.”
The ballad is written from the perspective of a woman dealing with the end of a long-term relationship after thinking she would marry her ex-partner.
Gareth Southgate decided to step down as England manager during the 2024 European Championship
Southgate resigned just two days after the Three Lions’ painful defeat to Spain in the final
He revealed which tear-jerking song he left on repeat after realizing it was ‘time for a change’
“They have to move on and you wish them well and there are regrets but memories have actually been made,” Southgate added.
Southgate also selected Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, featuring Stormzy, and The Waterboys’ The Whole of the Moon as part of his eight-song collection.
With his next steps still a mystery, Southgate explained that he is open to a “completely different” career path and even teased a move outside of coaching.
“If you’re a coach and you’ve had one of the biggest jobs, how do you follow up on that?” he told host Lauren Laverne during the episode released Sunday.
Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024, becoming the first Three Lions manager in history to do so.
England also reached their first major tournament final since 1996 at Euro 2020 under Southgate, who was awarded 57 caps during his playing career.
He is now eligible for a knighthood in the New Year Honors List for his work with the national team, five years after being awarded an OBE.
In October it was reported that the decision required approval.
But now that the green light has been given, the letters have already been sent by the Honors Committee The sun.