Following Englands shock exit from Euro 2016 after losing to Iceland, attention has already turned to who will replace Roy Hodgson as the Three Lions next manager. A lack of obvious candidates means there is a wide range of thoughts and opinions as to who is the most suitable candidate to lead England through their qualifying campaign for the World Cup in 2018.
Here, IBTimes UK looks at some of the best candidates for the role.
Gareth Southgate
The England under-21 boss has been installed as the early favourite for the position, having led the Three Lions youth side since August 2013. The 45-year-old boss – who also played for Middlesbrough from 2001 until 2006 – has worked with numerous members of the current England squad before and successfully qualified for the finals of the under-21 European Championship in 2015.
On the other hand, Southgate was relegated with Middlesbrough in 2009 and was sacked as the clubs manager later in the same year. Whats more, he failed to get England beyond the group stage of the under-21 tournament last year, despite travelling to the Czech Republic with a talented squad.
Guus Hiddink
England have had two foreign coaches before and with the cupboard so bare on the domestic scene, they could easily look overseas again. If that is the case, then there can be few more attractive candidates than Guus Hiddink, who worked wonders during his time in charge of South Korea and Australia.
The 69-year-old Dutchman is currently out of work after leaving his interim post at Chelsea at the end of last season and having already managed in the Premier League, he would have the added advantage of being familiar with English football.
Whether he would be willing to accept the stresses and strains of being England manager at this stage of his career is another matter, though.
Eddie Howe
But if England do opt to go English, then the most exciting home-produced manager currently plying his trade in the Premier League is, perhaps, Eddie Howe. The little-known Bournemouth boss has done an incredible job down on the south coast, helping the club to achieve an unlikely promotion to the top division and then keeping them away from relegation trouble last season.
It would, of course, take a huge leap of faith from the Football Association to appoint a 38-year-old boss, especially as he has never before managed big-name players or even competed on the European stage. But, thus far, Howe has defied the doubters at every turn.
Brendan Rodgers
Less than 12 months ago, Brendan Rodgers was still being heralded as one of the brightest young minds in the modern game, having led Liverpool into the Champions League on the back of his possession-based, attack-minded approach.
However, things unravelled in spectacular style at Anfield last season and he has subsequently been installed as the new Celtic manager. It would be a shock if England made a move for the 43-year-old coach so soon after he was sacked by the Reds, while Rodgers may instead prefer to rebuild his reputation in the quieter surroundings of the Scottish Premier League.
Marcelo Bielsa
As a left-field choice, the Football Association could invest its faith (and money) in the eccentric, but brilliant, Argentinian Marcelo Bielsa. The 60-year-old is widely lauded as having one of the sharpest tactical minds in the modern game and has been cited by the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino as an inspiration.
Bielsa also has extensive experience of managing at club and international level, having led Argentina to the World Cup in 2002 and Chile during the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Thereafter, he has coached Athletic Bilbao and Marseille, producing some stunning football en route to some eye-catching results.
One the flip side, Bielsas managerial style is notoriously demanding on his players and he often leaves his roles in abrupt fashion. The Football Association might decide that for all of his undoubted brilliance as a coach, the inevitable aggravation is just not worth it.
