Gareth Southgate is staying home. The former England boss rejected a pile of lucrative TV offers for the upcoming North American World Cup, choosing silence over a fat paycheck. Why? To avoid the circus. He knows how the media machine works. One wrong word from him, and the press room in Kansas City explodes.
This is a massive shift. For the first time since 1994, Southgate won’t be on the ground. He’s done it all over the last seven tournaments—playing, scouting, broadcasting, and ultimately managing the Three Lions to the brink of glory. He took them to a semi-final, a quarter-final, and two consecutive Euros finals. Now, he’s just another spectator.
In a video posted to Instagram, Southgate laid out his reasoning with typical caution. He made a conscious choice to skip the studio. He didn’t want his analysis weaponized against his former players. He noted that he didn’t think it would be helpful to talk about the team, wanting to avoid anything being misconstrued or thrown at them in press conferences. Smart move. The English press is always hungry for a civil war.
Despite keeping his distance, he’s still banging the drum. He genuinely believes this squad is primed for the big one. They have the scars. They survived the penalty shootouts and the agonizing near-misses. According to Southgate, they are finally ready to win.
The squad has already landed at their Kansas base. Their Group L campaign kicks off against Croatia in Dallas this Wednesday. Southgate will be watching from afar, safely out of the line of fire.
