Gareth Southgate has indicated that a return to Premier League management is highly unlikely, while revealing that Crystal Palace’s FA Cup final victory remains his most recent visit to a football ground.
Southgate watched his boyhood club defeat Manchester City in May 2025 as Palace lifted the first major trophy in the club’s history. The 56-year-old said he has not attended another match since that memorable occasion.
The former England manager also explained that his relationship with football changed towards the end of his nearly eight-year spell in charge of the national team. He said victories were providing only fleeting enjoyment by that stage, contributing to his decision to step away from the game after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Southgate’s only previous club-management role came at Middlesbrough, where he spent almost three and a half years after succeeding Steve McClaren. He was unable to prevent the club’s relegation from the Premier League in 2009, and now says he cannot see himself taking on another top-flight managerial position.
Since leaving England, Southgate has pursued projects away from football, including a podcast and a BBC documentary examining the experiences of young men and boys across the UK. He said the change had given him the opportunity to explore different areas of leadership and build a life less defined by the result of each weekend’s match.
