Jamie Carragher names ‘standout’ choice to replace Gareth Southgate and reveals Jurgen Klopp concern

Jurgen Klopp is free to take the England job after leaving Liverpool (Photo: Getty)

Jamie Carragher says there is only ‘one standout’ candidate to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager – and it’s not Jurgen Klopp.

Southgate announced on Tuesday that he would stepping down as Three Lions boss following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, bringing to an end his incredible eight-year and 102 match spell in charge.

The race is on to appoint his successor with plenty of high-profile names in the running including Klopp who is out of work after leaving Liverpool this summer.

The German worked wonders during his near-nine years at Anfield, winning the Premier League and Champions League and playing entertaining, attacking football.

But Liverpool legend Carragher does not believe he would be the right fit for the job, believing the FA should appoint an English manager and sharing concern that success at club level does not translate to international football.

‘I cannot get my head around how so many supporters and pundits continue to fail to recognise the massive differences between club football and international football,’ the former England defender wrote in The Telegraph.

‘It is like we are living in some kind of fantasy world in which international managers get months or years to work with the exact profile of players they choose, developing patterns of play on a daily basis so it becomes natural whenever a tournament comes along.

‘Not even Klopp or [Pep] Guardiola could guarantee the same style and results managing an international team as they had with their clubs. Have we learnt nothing from the Fabio Capello experiment?

‘I am against the idea of England appointing an overseas coach. This is not because I am anti-foreign or believe overseas coaches are a bad influence.

‘My fundamental belief that international football should be our best against “their” best. We are an elite football nation and the national team should not look elsewhere.

Gareth Southgate has quit the Three Lions after eight years in charge (Photo: Getty)

‘The difference with [England women’s manager Sarina] Wiegman is she was headhunted as a proven winner at international level. Guardiola, Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino are being mentioned because of their club credentials.’

Instead, Carragher believes the first and only choice should be Eddie Howe, with reports suggesting that the Newcastle boss is the leading name on the FA’s shortlist.

‘There is one standout candidate to replace Gareth Southgate. It has got to be Eddie Howe. For me, he is the front-runner by a distance.

Eddie Howe is the FA’s first choice (Photo: Getty)

‘Howe has the pedigree as a club manager. He did fantastically well at Bournemouth and has done a great job at St. James’ Park.

‘His sides play front-foot, attacking football. Like Southgate, he would be a safe pair of hands dealing with the media – a great ambassador for the country. Young players will respond to Howe as he has proved a good man-manager.

‘Howe has said he sees the England job as his ultimate ambition so the emotional pull is there. He is also intelligent enough to know the uniqueness of the challenge.

‘The problem for the Football Association is whether Howe considers it the right time for his career to leave Newcastle United. He will have much to think about if the offer comes.

‘I would be staggered if it does not. None of the other leading contenders comes so close to being the right fit.

‘Every box is ticked, with the biggest issue being whether an aspiring coach with ambitions to win trophies at Newcastle and challenge himself in the Champions League wants to walk away from a brilliant job and passionate fanbase.’

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