Pep Guardiola dream, Thomas Tuchel Man Utd dilemma, Arsenal boost - Next England manager decided

There will be plenty of talk around who becomes the next England manager in the coming weeks and months

Pep Guardiola has said that "anything can happen" in response to suggestions he could become the new England manager. The Manchester City boss is out of contract at the Etihad Stadium in the summer and it has been widely reported that he will step down after a ninth season at the helm.

The England manager's position is currently vacant after Gareth Southgate stepped down in the summer, with interim boss Lee Carsley delivering mixed messages over whether or not he wanted the job permanently.

Carsley said after the defeat to Greece in the Nations League that "hopefully I'll be going back to the Under-21s" before then backing that up by saying the job "deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and I am still on the path to that".

Guardiola would be something of a dream appointment for England fans, with the City boss having lit up the Premier League during his eight years in England with his attractive brand of football. But he admitted no decision has yet been made over his future.

Speaking to Italian TV show Che Tempo Che Fa, he said: "Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet. And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it… I don’t know either, anything can happen."

Thomas Tuchel is another name who has entered the frame to be the next permanent boss of the Three Lions, while the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe continue to be linked. We asked our football.london writers to have their say on the Three Lions job...

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Tom Canton

Pep Guardiola? Yes, please.

I don't care for the Arsenal vs Manchester City rivalry that might mean I somehow, through unwritten laws, want nothing to do with the Spaniard but the reality is he is the best coach I have ever witnessed. His work at all clubs to develop players, maximise potential and most importantly... win.

These are attributes that England desperately need. Knowing some of the players too will be a huge help as young stars like Rico Lewis, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer would be massive for the Three Lions and for the Arsenal selfishness with me it is a way of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka gaining that experience of coaching from Guardiola without leaving the Gunners.

Thomas Tuchel and Eddie Howe are good picks too and I would welcome both. Yet the aura to which Guardiola brings to any team is something that if it is indeed possible it needs to happen - plus as a cheeky bonus, it means he leaves City so, win-win!

Sam Truelove

What an appointment Pep Guardiola would be. That would be one hell of a statement by the FA!

The current Man City boss is arguably the best head coach in the world and his style of play, knowledge of the game and winning mentality would surely be a recipe for success. It just comes down to whether Guardiola wants it. Like, does he really want it?

The Spaniard joined Man City in 2016 and may be thinking about a break should he step away from the champions at the end of the season. He's very intense and regularly describes how demanding the job is.

Still, if Guardiola is open to the idea then the FA should look to appoint him straight away or discuss potential options, which may include appointing him at a later date. It would certainly be worth the wait.

Joe Doyle

I think there is something to be said for a national team manager being from the nation he's coaching - but at this stage, can I say to the FA: please do everything to convince Pep Guardiola to take over.

If things lined up perfectly, it could be an ideal move for all parties (other than Manchester City). He will have been on the blue side of Manchester for nine years at the end of the season, and with his contract not yet extended beyond next summer, it could be the ideal time to snag him. Or at least, as good a chance as the FA will ever have.

A lot of the current and next crop of young stars have worked with or in systems that Guardiola has had plenty of influence on. The likes of Rico Lewis, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer could be set to lead the team for the next five years or so - and Guardiola would be finely attuned to their talents.

While he may be thinking about a break after a long spell at City, a move to international football could arguably help him take his foot off the pedal slightly, with fewer direct coaching days and more time to spend on planning - a perfect compromise in what will obviously be a low-pressure job!

Lee Wilmot

Do England really need a permanent head coach before the end of the Premier League season?

We have a final round of Nations League matches in the November international break and then there will be World Cup 26 qualifying games in March - two of them - but after that there is nothing until June. We can absolutely wait until the Premier League season ends to appoint a permanent successor to Gareth Southgate.

In doing so we can go all out to convince Pep Guardiola he wants to stay in England and manage the Three Lions. His contract at City will be up, he will have had nine years at the Etihad Stadium and surely be looking for a new challenge. And what better challenge than ending 60 years of hurt in his adopted country?

Yes Thomas Tuchel may be available now, but it's not about the here and now, it's about England's future. Guardiola would be 99% of people's dream choice to take over and the FA should do everything in their power to sign him up once the season finishes.

Rob Guest

Lee Carsley said after the Greece game that the England job "deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies". Unfortunately there aren't many available head coaches who fit that description at present but Thomas Tuchel certainly does.

As important as it is that the FA get the perfect man for the hotseat with the 2026 World Cup not too far away in the distance, they ideally don't want to be taking too much longer as it's now four months since Gareth Southgate left his position. Appointing Tuchel as head coach in time for November's international break would be the ideal situation for the Three Lions right now.

However, that may all depend on whether Tuchel wants to remain in club management as there could soon be a vacancy at Old Trafford that is up for grabs. The German has proved in his managerial career that he can win trophies and he could be the man to lead England to a trophy for the first time since 1966.

Tuchel would certainly be a step up from Southgate and Carsley, which is something England really need if they are to make full use of this excellent collection of players at their disposal.

Jake Stokes

The FA should do whatever it takes to wrap up a deal for Pep Guardiola! His contract at Manchester City expires in the summer – which aligns (almost) perfectly with the 2026 World Cup qualifiers that are set to start from March 2025.

The 53-year-old will be looking for a new challenge too. After enjoying great success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, perhaps he'll want to test himself on the international stage next?

After all, the core of his England squad will be made up of John Stones, Rico Lewis, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Jack Grealish, as well as maybe Kyle Walker – all of which currently play or have played for him before. It's important to remember that Guardiola is from the Catalonia region, so maybe rivalling Spain won't be an issue...