Southgate reveals he stopped enjoying wins towards end of England reign and rules out Premier League return

Gareth Southgate has opened up on the mental toll of managing England, revealing he stopped enjoying wins towards the end of his tenure and that he has no desire to return to club management in the Premier League.

Speaking on The Amol Rajan Connection, Southgate — who stepped down following England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain — described how the relentless pressure to deliver results gradually eroded his enjoyment of the job. “Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying, at the very least for a period, the wins keep you going,” he said. “By the end, I didn’t even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes.”

When asked directly whether he would consider a return to management in the Premier League, Southgate was unequivocal: “I don’t see a scenario where I do that.”

Southgate managed England for over 100 games across nearly eight years, taking the national team to two European Championship finals — Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 — as well as the 2018 World Cup semi-final and the 2022 World Cup quarter-final. That record made him England’s most successful manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, yet the weight of expectation ultimately proved draining.

Since leaving the role, Southgate has worked in the media and fronted a BBC documentary in which he travelled across the UK to explore challenges facing young men and boys. He also attended the FA Cup final to watch his club Crystal Palace claim their first-ever trophy — and says he has not been to a football ground since.

“I’ve loved the last 18 months of my life,” he said. “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.”

Southgate has not managed at club level since a three-year spell at Middlesbrough that ended in 2009, and his comments suggest that is unlikely to change any time soon.