Sir Gareth Southgate believes the standing of senior touchline leaders has been gradually weakened by the way top-level organisations are now arranged. According to the former England boss, the rise of football and technical and sporting directors has altered where influence sits within clubs, even if he accepts the change as part of the game’s development.
Sir Gareth Southgate believes the standing of senior touchline leaders has been gradually weakened by the way top-level organisations are now arranged. According to the former England boss, the rise of football and technical and sporting directors has altered where influence sits within clubs, even if he accepts the change as part of the game’s development.
He explained that these executives are increasingly responsible for long-term planning, cultural direction, and continuity while answering directly to owners or chief executives. This places them above the individual leading training and matchday decisions, creating a different balance from the traditional setup of past decades.
Southgate’s reflections follow a turbulent period in which Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Chelsea have all dismissed their head coaches since the start of the year. He pointed out that although Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim, and Enzo Maresca departed under varying circumstances, tensions involving internal relationships were central to each exit.
In his LinkedIn post, Southgate highlighted disagreements with executives, staff, or players as underlying causes. Maresca left Stamford Bridge by mutual agreement after clashing with club leadership, while Amorim publicly criticised those above him before losing his job at Old Trafford.
The 55-year-old rejected the idea that adopting a “head coach” label eases responsibility. Instead, he argued that workloads have expanded due to larger squads, extensive support teams, advanced analysis, and growing media and commercial demands.
He stressed that the modern game requires specialists to handle areas such as contract management, worldwide recruitment systems, and complex data departments. In his view, no single individual directing training sessions could realistically oversee all of these functions alone.
Southgate also underlined the strain created by today’s environment, where players often operate as personal brands and clubs face enormous financial consequences from results. Combined with constant attention from both conventional outlets and online platforms, the role has become even more intense.
For that reason, he advocates an updated version of the classic manager, centred on leadership and people skills. Drawing on his own experience, he said footballers cannot be treated like pieces on a board but as individuals whose human needs sit at the core of effective guidance.
Despite accepting structural evolution, Southgate acknowledged that altered job descriptions have brought a quiet shift in status. He noted that when offered the England position, he demanded the designation of manager rather than head coach.
That insistence, he said, was essential to secure the level of command, sway, and oversight required to operate successfully. His stance reflected a belief that titles still matter in defining expectations within an organisation.
Having previously led Middlesbrough and England’s Under-21s before guiding the senior national side from 2016 to 2024, Southgate concluded that embracing modern systems must not come at the cost of clarity over who ultimately leads.
