FA 'contact' Pep Guardiola over England manager job
by Henry Moore · LBCBy Henry Moore
The Football Association has approached Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola over the prospect of him becoming the next England manager, reports claim.
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Guardiola, who has won a staggering 34 major trophies in his almost 20-year career in management, has been Manchester City manager since 2016, winning six Premier League titles in that time.
But with his contract at City set to expire next summer, the FA made informal contact with him over the prospect of becoming the England coach.
Pep is yet to respond to the informal offer, The Times reports.
Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane urged the FA to go for the City boss, saying in his role as a pundit for ITV after Sunday's 3-1 win over Finland: "Go for the best. Pep's contract is up in the summer."
Guardiola himself has said "anything can happen" with his future.
"Leaving City? It's not true, I haven't decided yet," he told Italian TV show Che tempo Che Fa.
"And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided I would say it... I don't know either, anything can happen."
Pep would undoubtedly be the most decorated manager to take on the England job, but he is not the only manager under consideration if recent reporting is to be believed.
Former Paris St Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel is currently the bookmakers’ favourite to be named England manager.
Currently, former England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley remains in charge as interim coach, overseeing three wins and a defeat since taking over from Gareth Southgate.
Speaking after England’s 3-1 against Finland, Carsley refused to rule out taking the job on a permanent basis but said the Three Lions deserve a “world-class coach.”
"I keep saying the same thing. My remit was six games and I'm happy with that," he said.
"This is a privileged position. Really enjoying it but I didn't enjoy the last two days. I'm not used to losing in an England team, I don't take losing well.
"People are always going to try and put their chips on one side. I'm in the middle. My bosses have made it clear what they need from me.
"This job deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies and I am still on the path to that."