HARRY MAGUIRE says England’s stars want Gareth Southgate to stay beyond the Euros.
Southgate is expected to quit after his fourth major tournament in Germany this summer — with the Three Lions favourites to win their first trophy since 1966.
But despite Southgate, 53, being touted as a successor to Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, Maguire claims he would prefer him as his international rather than club manager.
Ahead of hosting Brazil tomorrow, defender Maguire said: “We want to be successful in the Euros. We are not looking at the World Cup — the Euros are our main focus.
“And if Gareth’s the man to make us be successful then we want him to stay as long as possible.
“He has the respect of the players and everyone who has worked under him.
“Being England boss is so tough. It’s one of the world’s most scrutinised jobs.
“All you can look at is where we were before he took over and where we are now. Everyone will say, ‘Yeah, but we’ve got better players now’.
“But in previous years we had great players and haven’t been successful.
“He does deserve a lot of credit — he has taken us a long way.
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“If you speak to anyone they will speak highly of Gareth’s management tactically but also his man-management.”
Southgate is out of contract in December and will not discuss a fresh deal until after the Euros.
But it is believed he would prefer a move back into club management.
Maguire was a cornerstone of England’s defence when they reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the Euros in 2021, before a 2022 quarter-final exit in Qatar.
But the United man added: “I’m sure Gareth will say the same thing now — ‘it’s all about winning a trophy’.”
Maguire, who has won 62 caps under Southgate, was backed by the Lions boss even when struggling for game-time at United.
He added: “The faith and trust he has shown in me has been brilliant.”
Keeper Jordan Pickford claims the players will not be affected by speculation about Southgate’s future.
He said: “Our goal is winning the Euros. All the noise around anything else will come after that.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
