Southgate set to be charged with taking English football forward

England U21s’ terrible showing in Israel has resulted in the inevitable with the man who oversaw the shambles losing his job.

Stuart Pearce had a strong record at the Young Lions helm, steering them through qualification and into four European Championships, including an appearance in the final in 2009.

However, it was the brand of football displayed by the last crop, as they were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition with no points, that has seen a combination of media outcry and public disappointment which has prompted the FA to finally issue Pearce his P45.

The consensus seems to be that English football needs a man in charge who will encourage a brand of football more in line with the modern game, instead of the functional approach applied by the former England left back.

It seems that Gareth Southgate is the man to do so.

The ex-Middlesbrough boss is the 2/5 favourite to take the reins despite not managing since leaving the Riverside four years ago.

The 42-year-old has strong ties to the FA after working as their head of elite development for 18 months before departing last summer.

He was very vocal about the need to install an ethos throughout the England setup that focuses primarily on possession, as he told the Independent newspaper.

“I think it’s important that those teams play with a particular style going forward and that the coaches of those teams interact and have the same philosophies, which then lead into the seniors.”

Southgate’s previous links with the Football Association and his supposed desire to develop the nation’s playing style has seen him head the betting.  Given his previous links with the FA and a desire to develop the nation’s playing style, it’s perhaps no surprise that Southgate appears so prominently in the betting.

One potential candidate Michael Appleton surprisingly appears at 9/4 to take up the mantle, but his inexperience and an inability to put down roots should see the FA swerve such an appointment.

Phil Neville travelled to the Euros as a coach and is widely tipped to take the managerial plunge in the near future. The ex-Everton and Manchester United man is 16/1 to be given the job but his links to the previous regime may work against him.