Southgate says he ‘hardly watches’ football and rules out Premier League return

Gareth Southgate said he has all but ruled out a return to Premier League management and that he “hardly watches” football during an appearance on the Amol Rajan Connection podcast, comments published on 15 October 2026. “I don’t see a scenario where I do that,” he added, and described losing enjoyment from results towards the end of his England tenure.

Southgate, 56, stepped down as the manager of the England men’s team after defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final and managed England for almost eight years. His last visit to a match came in May 2025 when he watched his boyhood club Crystal Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final. His only period of club management was almost three and a half years at Middlesbrough after replacing Steve McClaren in 2006, and he was unable to keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League in 2009.

On the podcast Southgate explained why he did not envisage returning to top‑flight club work, saying: “Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying … at the very least for a period, the wins keep you going. By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes. So, I’ve hardly watched football.”

He reiterated his reluctance to re-enter Premier League management with the direct comment, “I don’t see a scenario where I do that,” linking that stance to the waning enjoyment he described in his final months with England.

Addressing his match attendance and relationship with the game, Southgate said: “I went to the FA Cup final to see my team, Crystal Palace, win their first trophy. I’ve not been to a football ground since. So my sort of desire to be involved in football has changed.”

Since leaving the England job, Southgate has pursued other projects: he has launched a podcast and fronted a BBC documentary this year in which he travelled across the UK to understand the challenges facing young men and boys. Reflecting on that period, he said, “I’ve loved the last 18 months of my life,” and added, “I’ve had 37 years where my sense of self depended on did I win or lose on Saturday. And actually I’ve loved having different experiences.

“I’ve met politicians, I’ve met people in the media industry, I have learned about leadership in all sorts of areas, I’ve travelled around the world learning things. I’ve just enjoyed playing a different film in my life.”