Who are the favorites to be England's next manager after Gareth Southgate?

Gareth Southgate will take his time deciding whether to continue as England manager after their latest World Cup heartbreak.

"There's a lot of things in my head that are really conflicted right now, so what I want to make sure, if that's the right thing to say, is that I have definitely the energy to do it," Southgate said after the narrow loss to France that apparently we should all be a lot angrier.

"I don't want to spend four or five months thinking I made the wrong call. It's too important for everyone to be wrong."

It's very Southgate, that, and it makes perfect sense. If he wants to continue, that's fine, but if he doesn't, that's fine too. Anyway, at some point there will be a new England manager, so who are the current favourites?

According to the latest best prices on oddschecker.com, it's these guys…

1) Mauricio Pochettino That's an enticing prospect, isn't it? Especially for those who, even now, still suspect that Gareth Southgate plays this band with the handbrake not fully released. England absolutely have the players for a Pochettino 4-2-3-1 and that would most likely be very good news for Trent Alexander-Arnold fans. There's no way this will end the TAA culture war of course, but it would at least be a change of direction for the narrative. The age profile of this England squad with all these bright youngsters would also match Pochettino's reputation for nurturing and improving bright youngsters.

But all of these sound like great reasons why England might want Pochettino, but would that really be enough to satisfy him? He may have made some ultimately quite evasive noises about pre-World Cup work – to give his athletic payers a nice little story? - but it seems a little early for Pochettino to step away from the day-to-day management of the club and his long spells before and after the PSG job indicate that he remains quite picky and patient about what he does.

Right now, for example, he apparently has his sights set on the Chelsea job, the availability of which would free up at least one other potential England favorite.

2) Thomas Tuchel Apparently passionate and his love for English football is genuine if not perhaps as deep as Pochettino's. I can't deny that we really like the idea of ​​an Argentinian and a German being the main candidates for the job in England.

Tuchel undoubtedly has the CV to make a compelling case for the job, but we suspect that the rumors currently coming from his camp about a high-profile job that may or may not be available are more meant to remind others that he is there and available. Like an elite David O'Leary.

Also, even if he wants the job, he can't be England manager until he has spent 18 months at Tottenham, as prophesied.

3) Eddie HoweIf Southgate stays another two years or even another full World Cup cycle, then that becomes entirely plausible, doesn't it? He's Continuity Southgate, ticks all the English boxes and has a CV that's likely to only get better in the years to come.

It also won't be able to be as relentlessly awake as Southgate, because of Newcastle's inevitable clapback, which will delight some people.

But that won't happen if Southgate works now, surely? You wouldn't quit Newcastle work right now for the inevitable heartache and questioning of your minerals for losing to a really good team every other year, would you?

4) Graham PotterTiming might suit Potter well if Southgate decides to quit now/soon. Potter is doing about enough at Chelsea to be potentially available - or at least not having Chelsea fight too hard - if Southgate moves on without (yet) shaking things up to a reputation for shredding The degree. He has consistently gotten Brighton to punch above his weight and is a brilliant tactician while the xG issues that have plagued his teams should be less of an issue with this England side. However, he would transition from training to day-to-day at a very young age.

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