Next England manager: Gary Lineker reveals what he’s ‘heard’ about FA search for permanent boss

Former England striker Gary Lineker has “heard” that the Football Association have now “sounded out coaches” to succeed Gareth Southgate.

The Football Association turned to England Under-21 coach Lee Carsley for autumn’s Nations League fixtures as they bought themselves time to find Southgate’s successor after losing a second successive European Championship final.

Figures from the governing body have kept cards close to their chest about the managerial hunt and The Times has reported that all-conquering Man City boss Pep Guardiola has been sounded out about the job.

The ex-Spain international’s deal with the perennial Premier League champions expires at the end of the season and he seemingly left the door open to the possibility of coaching England in a recent interview.

Thomas Tuchel is another favourite with the bookmakers for a job that Birmingham-born former Republic of Ireland international Carsley says deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies.

Asked if whoever eventually gets the England job has to be English, Carsley said on Sunday: “No, definitely not. I think it’s important that the best candidate gets the job.

“We’ve seen in the past that we’ve had different nationalities coach the team. The best candidate should get the job.

“I think we’d be putting ourselves in a corner if we didn’t, and we didn’t open our minds a bit.

“I think it’s important that any job that’s available, you know, everyone that’s at that level should apply for it.”

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And England legend Lineker thinks Carsley probably “knows something” about the type of manager that the Three Lions are looking to bring in.

“I wonder – I’ve heard rumours and stuff – whether he knows something about what’s happening in terms of they’re looking for a new manager,” Lineker told The Rest Is Football Podcast.

“I think they’ve sounded out coaches. That’s what the rumours are, that’s what we’ve heard.

“And I wonder whether he thinks he’s not going to get it so therefore he is perhaps protecting himself and wants to get his other job back.

“I don’t know, because it seems a little bit defeatist. “They need a winning coach”, I mean, look at the two teams who have just won international tournaments.

“Spain didn’t have a guy who had won trophies before, certainly not in league football, Lee Carsley has won [the European Championship with England U21s].

“So he has won a trophy, but he’s talking about club sides. I wonder whether they have been sounding out people and he’s found out and he just doesn’t believe he is going to get the job.”