Gareth Southgate has made it clear that a return to Premier League management is no longer on his radar, after a candid interview in which he admitted he no longer enjoys watching football. The former England coach, who stepped down following the team’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, revealed that he has not attended a match since Crystal Palace’s 2023 FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, the only time he has seen his boyhood club lift a trophy.
Southgate’s brief foray into club management came almost fifteen years ago when he took over at Middlesbrough in 2006, replacing Steve McClaren. He spent three and a half seasons at the Riverside Stadium, but was unable to keep the club in the Premier League after the 2008‑09 campaign. In a recent appearance on the Amol Rajan Connection podcast, he confirmed that he has no intention of returning to top‑flight coaching, saying, “I don’t see a scenario where I do that.” He added that the joy he once derived from victories had faded, noting that “towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying … the wins keep you going. By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes.”
Since leaving the national team, Southgate has shifted his focus to other projects. He launched a podcast and hosted a BBC documentary in which he travelled across the United Kingdom to explore the challenges faced by young men and boys. In the same interview he reflected on the last 18 months of his life, describing them as a period of personal growth and new experiences. “I’ve had 37 years where my sense of self depended on did I win or lose on Saturday,” he said. “I’ve loved having different experiences. I’ve met politicians, people in the media industry, learned about leadership in all sorts of areas, travelled around the world learning things. I’ve just enjoyed playing a different film in my life.”
Southgate’s departure from football management marks the end of an era for the former England coach, who guided the national side for almost eight years and nearly secured the country’s first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup. With his eyes now turned to media and social initiatives, the 56‑year‑old has effectively closed the door on a return to the Premier League, signalling a new chapter that prioritises outreach and personal development over the pressures of top‑level coaching.