Gareth Southgate says he would have 'no fears' in taking on the England job

By Allan Valente

Sunday 13 November 2016 07:37, UK

Gareth Southgate says he would have "no fears" in taking on the England job on a permanent basis.

The 46-year-old was reluctant to replace Roy Hodgson after Euro 2016 but was handed the role on an interim basis following the departure of Sam Allardyce and has ensured the national team will end the year top of their World Cup qualifying group after a 3-0 win over Scotland on Friday.

The Three Lions' biggest win in the fixture since May 1975 has boosted the former defender's chances of stepping up from his role with the U21 side and getting the job permanently, but his reluctance to speak about that possibility continued with a friendly against Spain still to go as part of his four-game interim stint.

"There are no fears with the job," he said. "It would be easy to look at the negatives but to work with top players and in big matches is what I want to do. From that side, no.

"I've avoided answering that [if it was right to assume he wants the job full-time] because I don't think it's necessary.

"You just have to do the job. With respect, I've seen people in this sort of position before talk about how much they want the job and it becomes an irrelevance if you don't prepare the team well.

"So it's not really my decision, but I have loved doing it and I've seen some signs of progress with how we've played. From my point of view, it's been a brilliant experience."

While Southgate appears to be the favourite for the job, the Football Association will not start the formal process of finding a permanent manager until after Tuesday's Wembley friendly against Spain.

FA chairman Greg Clarke, technical director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Martin Glenn will be part of the decision-making process, along with League Managers Association chairman Howard Wilkinson, the last English title-winning manager and twice caretaker boss of the Three Lions.

"I think there are often appointments at clubs without interviews," Southgate said. "I think some young coaches don't get opportunities because people just appoint managers or coaches without actually seeing what's out there.

"So it would be hypocritical for me to say that the FA shouldn't go through that."

Southgate does not know what the selection process will look like, nor does he care as he looks to end his four-match stint with a third win.

"I've tried to avoid any of those conversations really because my experience in football or in life is do what you're doing as well as you possibly can and then maybe opportunity comes," he said.

"But if you don't fulfil the task that you're asked to do, then it's a non-starter anyway. Let's see."