Gareth Southgate to be confirmed as England manager in £6 million deal after three-hour interview 
Jason Burt, chief football correspondent
21 NOVEMBER 2016 • 9:33PM
Gareth Southgate is expected to be confirmed as the England manager in time for a Football Association board meeting on Nov 30 after undergoing a three-hour interview on Monday.The caretaker manager was photographed smiling as he left the National Football Centre at St George’s Park having been interviewed by the FA’s five-strong panel. The 46-year-old is set to agree a four-year deal, worth £1.5 million a year plus bonuses, with a break clause after the 2018 World Cup that can be triggered by either party. As things stand, the FA is not planning to interview any other candidate, with the job regarded as Southgate’s to lose after an initial four-match spell as interim manager ended last week. On Monday, Southgate was formerly interviewed by FA chairman Greg Clarke, chief executive Martin Glenn, technical director Dan Ashworth, former manager Howard Wilkinson and former player Graeme Le Saux. The final decision will be taken by the FA trio, with the other two offering advice.
The panel asked Southgate for a review of the past two months – there will also be a ‘debrief’ of the last England get-together at St George’s Park on Wednesday – and for him to outline his vision for the future and how he wants the national side to progress.
This included how he saw the roles of the England under-21 and under-20 coaches and whether he wanted Steve Holland to be his assistant with the senior team, having stepped up with him from the under-21s. Chelsea are happy for Holland to combine the roles but will also not stand in his way if he has to leave the club.
Other potential changes were discussed, including the backroom and support staff who work with England, while the issue of player behaviour in the wake of Wayne Rooney’s late-night drinking and the antics of other players on a day off at the last get-together was aired. Southgate was asked his views on discipline and what changes needed to be made while the FA, through Ashworth, is investigating exactly what went on at The Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire two Saturdays ago.
None of the players concerned – Rooney, Phil Jagielka, Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana — is likely to face disciplinary action but the FA is aware of the accusations levelled at Southgate that he might not be tough enough.
However, it does not share those concerns and has been impressed by the way the former England international has conducted himself and what he expects.
The panel held a private discussion after the interview when the possibility of approaching other candidates was discussed. It remains to be seen whether anyone else is spoken to but it is understood to be unlikely.
The FA panel also discussed the details of Southgate’s contract, which will have to be approved by the board but are unlikely to be a problem given he is expected to accept substantially less than the £3million-a-year salary agreed by his predecessor, Sam Allardyce.
Southgate was keen to gain a contract that took him to 2020 and has achieved that although the FA has stuck to its plan of also having a break clause if the World Cup in 2018 goes badly wrong.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/11/21/gareth-southgate-confirmed-england-manager-6-million-deal-three/ [ 此帖被羅力亞在2016-11-30 23:33重新編輯 ]
