PLANS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR LIFE AFTER SOUTHGATE

GARETH SOUTHGATE has proved the England job is far from impossible. But what happens when the time comes for Southgate and the FA to part ways? As unthinkable as Southgate leaving sounds, steps towards deciding contenders to be the next England manager are well under way. That task is facing Les Reed, the newly-installed technical director. The work of Eddie Howe at Bournemouth and Burnley’s Sean Dyche has not gone unnoticed. Steven Gerrard at Rangers and Frank Lampard at Derby are on the radar. The FA are working to enhance the pool of English coaches who are able — and interested — in succeeding Southgate. The FA’s Player to Coach initiative provides professionals approaching the end of their careers access to the support and qualifications necessary to take the step into management. Gerrard, Lampard, Joe Cole and Phil Neville, England’s senior women’s head coach, are beneficiaires. The World Cup success will leave Southgate’s successor in good stead. Numerous reports — even on how their team hotel in Repino was set up to avoid boredom — have been compiled to allow future teams and managers to tap into the feelgood factor. Meticulous planning has helped enhance the FA’s reputation as one of football’s most forward-thinking federations. After a miserable World Cup 2014, the FA made no secret of their intention to study the burgeoning German model as they set about a root-and-branch overhaul. Fast-forward four years and the FA’s model appears to be the envy of the continent. The Germans are in regular dialogue with their English counterparts and DFB officials have visited St George’s Park in recent months ahead of the opening of their own national football centre. Similarly, the admiring glances from Bundesliga clubs towards young English talent speaks for itself following the success of Jadon Sancho in Germany. As a result of the desire to provide bigger challenges for their junior talent, the FA have withdrawn from the home nations Victory Shield in preference to facing teams from all over the world. Yet for all the infectious positivity, there is concern that the talent pool will make it tough to perpetuate success at senior level. The governing body has 75 Under 15s on their ‘long list’ — 55 are eligible for more than one country. That gives England a bigger pool of players to pick from but they can quickly lose youngsters. Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses both played for England juniors before opting to represent Nigeria. And the Democratic Republic of Congo want to poach Aaron Wan-Bissaka. But it is the thought of life after Southgate that is occupying FA minds the most.