Man United fans have been congratulated by Simon Jordan on a lucky escape after Gareth Southgate ruled out any new jobs this season.
The ex-England boss has been out of management since stepping down after Euro 2024.
But Southgate has now confirmed there is no chance he will take up the role of Man United manager – or any other managerial post – within the next year.
He had been tipped as one of the potential successors to Erik ten Hag at Man United, with the Dutchman having come under increasing pressure after a poor run of games.
But he made an appearance at the European Club Association general assembly in Athens where he was asked about what the future might hold for him in terms of jobs.
“Firstly I’m enjoying my life…so there’s no rush,” he said. “I was 11 years committing myself fully to the FA and I’ve got lots of different experiences.
“But I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I’m certain of that.
“I need to give myself time to make good decisions. When you come out of a really big role you need to give your body time, you need to give your mind time.”
While some had welcomed the idea of the 54-year-old taking the reins at Old Trafford, Jordan believed quite the opposite as he explained why he was convinced Southgate would not have been the right man for the job.
When it was put to Jordan by his talkSPORT co-host Jim White that Ten Hag could perhaps rest easy given Southgate’s confession, Jordan was quick to respond.
“Maybe Man United fans can (breathe a bit more easily),” he said.
“I find it perplexing,” he added as he discussed Southgate’s links to Man United. “I mean, I’ve got nothing against the fellow. He was at Crystal Palace, he was a very good player for Crystal Palace.
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“Went on to do decent things as a footballer, playing for his country on a number of occasions, went to Aston Villa, had a good career.
“But there is no parallel universe where anyone – I would debate anybody – to suggest to me why Gareth Southgate would be the saviour of the Manchester United football club’s consistent failure over the last seven years.”
Jordan was reminded that Southgate had indeed been the most successful England manager since Alf Ramsey during his tenure, but would not be swayed.
“I understand that,” he said. “I understand that argument. I understand it and I know that it gets advanced.
“We didn’t win anything, so we can follow a long list of people that didn’t win anything. The thing that he managed to achieve was the repeated snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
“I don’t think we had that under Ron Greenwood and I don’t think we had that under other managers, whether we’re talking about Capello or we’re talking about Roy Hodgson.
“I know that argument will be trotted out, but I also know without any bias or motivation that we had draws that people cannot believe, that we haven’t been more successful as a result of these draws and won something.
“We had opportunities to win tournaments in home tournaments when we’re winning in finals and we didn’t take the advantage. And we also had a massive decline in the level of international teams that we pitted ourselves against.
“So I think he was a great politician for the FA. He was a great message carrier. He was very dignified. Yes, he created a culture that should have been there in the first place.”
But he added: “I genuinely do not think he’s a top draw manager. I don’t. I think he had an embarrassment of riches at England and I think he had to set them up and send them out.
“I don’t (see him as a candidate for any top job) I certainly don’t see him as a top six manager. I know lots of people and all the people that support him and like him will pop up and say whatever they have to say and that’s their opinion and they’re entitled to it.
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“My opinion is that Gareth Southgate was very fortunate to have got the England manager’s job. He did a decent job in terms of managing morale but we missed opportunities. We wasted periods of time. We were in three tournaments that we could have got something out of and we didn’t.
“And I think the criticism that was levied at him at times was unfair, but I also think that you have to judge people by what they achieve and if you want to judge it by being a participant in the low bar that was set previously then I’m sorry I’m not in that camp.
“I don’t know how any serious-minded individual would suggest that Gareth Southgate can fix the malaise at Manchester United.”
Southgate spent eight years in charge of the Three Lions, taking them to the 2018 World Cup semi final, the 2022 World Cup quarter final and two Euro finals.
After the heartbreak of Euro 2024 which saw England lose out yet again in the final, Southgate took just days to announce he was finally stepping down from the role.
He had stated it was ‘time for change, and for a new chapter’.
And while it seems Southgate intends to have a prolonged absence from any role on the side-lines, he has not ruled out making a return to football in a role outside of management.
“I’m fortunate that there are lots of different opportunities that are presenting themselves,” he admitted. “The business side of football is really interesting.
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“In my role I’ve dealt with UEFA and FIFA, had to deal with lots of different stakeholders. So I’m not just set on being a coach moving forward.
“Of course I’ve had amazing experiences but to have a project that was from the heart, which it was from the national team, is going to be difficult to find.”
Southgate’s confession came just hours after former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp took on a commercial football role as the Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull.
Klopp likewise stated that the role was more of a mentorship one, but something that kept him within the industry that he so loved.
Southgate added: “I’m at an age where I want to work with good people.
“When you’re younger you probably strive and are a bit more compliant. When you are older you realise the importance of collaboration.
“Clubs can only be successful if everything is aligned, right the way through the club.
“I also know that maybe the smarter people sit in the boardrooms and the coaches are a little bit more dispensable then you think when you are there.
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“As a coach you think you’re the most important person. I sat in every boardroom in our country for eight years and realised you’re only a small piece in this whole thing.”
Back in August, it was confirmed that Southgate would becoming one of UEFA’s technical observers for the 2024/25 season.
It is a role which involves analysing and reviewing matches from a coach’s perspective and then producing a report after each game, providing strategic and tactical feedback.
It already signalled Southgate’s intentions to explore different aspects of the football industry in his role – something which it seems he intends to continue doing.
He said: “If you are asking about club football, that’s depending on what that is, what role that is, what that might be.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with fantastic players and some of the biggest nights in world football. You’ve got to have excitement, passion to go to work every day.
“That’s unlikely, for me, to be another national federation. Because, again, England was for the heart. I went there originally to help English football, not to become the first team coach.
“But, the business of football, the experiences I’ve had working right across the board.
“I’m 54 and want to enjoy and be really motivated for the next 10-15 years of my life and the most important thing is to give myself time to make good decisions.”
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