ENGLAND legend Teddy Sheringham has told The FA to “break the bank” and get Pep Guardiola to replace Gareth Southgate.
The former striker, 58, and the rest of the country are gearing up to cheer on our heroic Three Lions against Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday.
England booked their spot in the Berlin showpiece with a 2-1 vicyory over Holland on Wednesday.
Super-sub Ollie Watkins scored the 90th-minute winner in what many believe was the country’s greatest sporting moment for generations.
Southgate has faced plenty of criticism throughout England’s journey to the final from both fans and pundits alike.
But this week’s result silenced his critics as he became the first England boss to lead them to two major finals in addition to also reaching the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Southgate will secure the first men’s major title in 58 years with a triumph over Spain – but even if he does not then the FA want him to remain in the job.
Southgate’s current contract expires in December, but FA chief executive Mark Bullingham plans to hold fresh talks with him at the end of Euro 2024.
Any new deal would take him through to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico – which would mark his 10th year in the job.
Others believe that Southgate, who has overseen 101 games, could step down after this summer’s tournament.
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And Sheringham, who was part of the same England team that reached the semi-final of Euro ‘96 as Southgate, knows exactly who should come in should he depart.
And it is someone who comes from Spain – the same nation looking to inflict heartbreak on Southgate and England in 48 hours time.
Sheringham told Online Poker: “If I were in the FA and given the choice, I’d break the bank for Pep Guardiola.
“I don’t know whether he’d like to take the job – if he was given the opportunity he’d probably have a stab at the Spain job, although they seem to be in a good place with Luis de la Fuente at the moment.
“We’ve obviously never seen him manage a national side before, but he’s worth taking the risk on.
“He’d be my pick to replace Gareth Southgate – the FA could realistically afford it, so what’s there to lose?”
AFTER what has been a tough tournament of times, what an opportunity Gareth Southgate and his team will have to end in the best possible way, writes Jack Wilshere.
We might like a team that played better football. But it’s a results business.
Germany, Italy, France, Portugal and of course Holland would love to be where we are.
People will say we’re lucky because we’re on this side of the draw.
But we won the group. France didn’t and then ran into Spain.
You can say it wasn’t that pretty, but we’re there.
Gareth and his coaches won’t have been happy with some of the performances.
But I did like the way Gareth and his team have dealt with it.
There was no panic coming out of the camp.
Everyone gave the same message: ‘We know we can better, but we’re here still.’
And on Sunday they will be in Berlin to play Spain.
They will probably have to produce two halves of football as good as the first against Holland to beat them.
We have improved as the tournament has gone on and that is how you win things.
You want to peak in the final.
If Gareth can lead England to that major trophy we’ve all been waiting for, it will be the perfect answer to the critics and a brilliant day for us all.
Read Jack Wilshere’s England vs Holland verdict in full.
Or check out all of SunSport columnist Jack’s Euros 2024 opinions…
And when pressed on whether Southgate can lead us to a first trophy since 1966, Sheringham said: “It’s going to be a really tough game, but I’m expecting us to win.
“We’ve seen how good the Spanish have been all tournament, they’ve probably been the best side out of the lot.
“All of England’s players all over the pitch need to put in nine out of 10 performances, then collectively we need to be at our best as well.
“I’m hoping that can be enough for us to win by the odd goal – I’m going with 2-1 to England.”
England have played Spain 27 times in total - here is a look at every result...
Overall, England have won 14, drawn three and lost 10 matches against Spain.
