Former England boss Gareth Southgate believes the authority of managers has been gradually eroded due to the power sporting directors exert over their clubs.

Southgate stepped down following eight years in charge of the Three Lions following Euro 2024, which ended with a 2-1 final loss to Spain.

Only England's first-ever manager Walter Winterbottom (139) and their 1966 World Cup-winning boss Alf Ramsey (113) have overseen more games in charge of the team than Southgate (102).

Southgate has outlined his interest in returning to club football, though his most recent experience of the club game came with Middlesbrough, who were relegated to the Championship in his final full season in charge in 2008-09. 

Several of Europe's top clubs have already made changes in the dugout in 2026, with Chelsea parting ways with Enzo Maresca, Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim, and Real Madrid dispensing with Xabi Alonso's services after only half a season.

And Southgate believes clubs should do more to empower managers, even while acknowledging sporting director models are now recognised as the norm.

"The erosion of a manager's authority has been a gradual process over many years," Southgate wrote on LinkedIn.

"It has accelerated with the widespread introduction of football, technical, or sporting directors, who now oversee long-term football strategy, report directly to CEOs or owners (or both), and sit structurally above the head coach.

"Personally, I have no issue with this evolution. Strategy, culture, planning, and continuity are critical to success in any organisation – and a football club is no different.

"My belief is that we should embrace a modernised version of the traditional manager, where we recognise the people they lead, manage and coach.

"As I once said to my bosses at England: players are not magnets on a tactics board that can simply be moved around.

"They are human beings. And managing that reality is at the heart of modern football leadership."