June's Nations League campaign has been nothing short of a disaster for England manager Gareth Southgate, leaving the FA with a decision to make ahead of this winter's World Cup in Qatar.
The 51-year-old's tenure as England boss is a peculiar one to judge. On paper, he stands as the second most successful manager in England Men's National Team history having led the Three Lions to a World Cup semi-final in 2018 and a European Championships final last summer.
However, the discourse surrounding the success of his tenure has often been dominated by shouts of underachieving. It's no secret that this is one of the most talented generations that English football has produced in the modern era. A glance at the full-back roster alone is enough to get mouths watering, with elite-level talent plentiful across the squad.
The Nations League campaign's importance has been widely debated with fans rightfully arguing that the tournament lacks jeopardy and criticising the impact on player fitness levels, but the past four performances cannot be defended. The 4-0 home defeat to Hungary was our heaviest in almost 100 years.
This begs the question, will England ever break their major tournament drought with Southgate in charge, or is this supremely technical group of players being put to waste?
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RealSport101 assesses the wish-list of potential Gareth Southgate replacements to determine whether there is a realistic upgrade readily available ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Graham Potter
The Brighton boss has been top of most England fans' wishlists for some time now. A lengthy and promising spell with Swedish side Östersund saw Potter headhunted by Championship outfit Swansea City, where he impressed before taking over the reins from Chris Hughton at Brighton in 2019.
Potter has earned plenty of plaudits during his time on the south coast and has been linked with vacant posts at Spurs and Manchester United in the past with no success. The question regarding Potter does not regard his pedigree. The 47-year-old has maximised performances with Brighton, developing the young talent on the books and playing expansive, entertaining football, all while mitigating a distinct lack of quality attacking options.
The real question being asked is would he leave his post at the Amex for the England job? We are living in a golden age of club football and Potter may not see the switch as worth the risk. His position at Brighton is as secure as can be, but this represents an opportunity to work with some of world football's most talented players, and Potter would be the perfect man to have at the helm.
Steve Cooper
Similar questions have to be asked about Nottingham Forest's Steve Cooper. His eventual progression has long seemed logical given his coaching foundations were laid down as manager of the England under-16 and under-17 groups.
Cooper played a major role in the development of Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden among others during his time in the England youth ranks and could relish the opportunity to take over as the main man in the England set-up.
The Welshman's managerial strengths are perfectly suited to tournament football as well. Much was made of the buzz around the Nottingham Forest camp during their promotion charge. The togetherness and spirit that Cooper managed to foster in such a short space of time upon his arrival in Nottingham suggest that a similar lift could be applied to the England squad following a dismal Nations League showing.
Cooper's tactical style would also unlock the potential of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Liverpool academy graduate has been a cut above at club level, but has failed to make an impact on the international stage and has found himself out of favour under Southgate. Djed Spence's transformation in the right-wing-back role in Cooper's favoured 3-4-1-2 system is evidence that the Welshman could provide the answer to the Alexander-Arnold conundrum.
Mauricio Pochettino
Recent announcements have confirmed that the Argentine manager will be leaving Paris Saint-Germain after a relatively disappointing first season in the French Capital. The former Spurs boss steered the North London club to an unprecedented Champions League final back in 2019 and is the highest-profile manager currently out of work.
Pochettino's appetite for international management is untested and it remains to be seen whether the 50-year-old would jump at the opportunity to get involved in a long-term international setup. Pochettino's stock will remain high despite an unhappy 12 months in Paris, so England would have to fend off plenty of interest to sell the project.
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