Gareth Southgate rejected for new job as chief confirms he snubbed ex-England boss

Gareth Southgate has missed out on becoming Poland's new manager, the president of their FA has confirmed. Southgate, 54, has been out work since he resigned as England boss in July 2024, two days after the Three Lions agonisingly lost the final of the European Championship to Spain.

The ex-England manager has been focussing on ventures outside of football, leading to suggestions that he won't ever return to the sport. But in a shock development, Southgate last week expressed his interest in ending his year-long absence by taking over a fractured Poland side in the wake of boss Michal Probierz's explosive departure.

Probierz made the unpopular decision to strip star player Robert Lewandowski of the captaincy, dividing his nation ahead of a damaging 2-1 defeat to Finland in World Cup qualifying. Barcelona striker Lewandowski subsequently announced that he'd longer play for Poland under Probierz, who stepped down amid intense backlash after two years of underwhelming results and performances.

Southgate's representatives then contacted the Polish FA (PZPN) to signal that the 54-year-old would be interested. But PZPN president Cezary Kulesza has now confirmed that he won't get the job.

"We received an offer of his employment," Kulesza revealed to Przeglad Sportowy. "But we must remember the basic issue: no foreign coach will give us a guarantee that we will advance to the world championship. If he gave us such a guarantee, I would hire him right away."

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Kulesza, who's set to appoint his fourth manager in as many years as president, used the 'perfect example' of former Portugal boss Fernando Santos to explain why Southgate isn't in his thinking. Santos was appointed Poland manager in January 2023 but only lasted nine torrid months.

"Fernando Santos is a perfect example," Kulesza went on. "Coach with success, big name, everyone applauded, and the verification was surprising and painful for all of us."

Instead, Poland want to appoint Maciej Skorza. The experienced Pole is currently managing Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds at the Club World Cup and Kulesza has been in the United States to hold talks.

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"If I had to assess, the chances are 50-50," he said of Skorza. "Our talks were very specific. The position of national team coach is probably the dream of every coach in Poland."

As for Southgate, he was heavily linked with Manchester United in 2024. However, the departure of ex-England ally Dan Ashworth from Old Trafford means that it's unlikely he'd succeed Ruben Amorim if he were to be sacked or quit in the new season.

In December, Southgate hinted that his next role could be outside of football or sport altogether. "I've been 37 years a player and coach, and I'm not against the next period of my life being totally different," he told the BBC. "When you've had one of the biggest jobs, how do you follow that up?"

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