Gareth’s chance to go four it

MICHAEL OWEN reckons the permanent England manager’s job is Gareth Southgate’s to lose.

The England Under-21 boss has been put in charge for the next four games after Sam Allardyce left his job on Tuesday night.

Three of those are 2018 World Cup qualifiers, with the first taking place at Wembley against Malta a week on Saturday.

Owen said: “If Gareth wins all four games it will take a brave man to say let’s change it now. Possession is nine tenths of the law, isn’t it?

“Southgate is a good man, and he could be fantastic in the position. I would not say it is the impossible job. It can’t get any worse than the last couple of tournaments.”

Southgate, however, is not looking beyond keeping England’s World Cup qualifying campaign on track in the wake of Allardyce’s shock departure. He said: “The fact that I know so many of the support team and the players already is really important, given the time that we have to prepare.

“I was very proud to have played more than 50 times for my country and to have worn the armband, so to manage England will be a huge responsibility and a huge honour.

“It’s been a difficult situation for the FA but it was important that there was some stability and continuity. So, from my point of view, it was important to step forward and give us the best possible chance to win these games.

“It’s a difficult circumstance for me, because we’ve lost two senior coaches in the last few months who have both been very good to me, so that complicates my feelings.”

The FA thought they had their man for the future in Allardyce, only for his reign to last just 67 days. Owen, who played briefly under Big Sam at Newcastle, believes he will return to management.

He said: “There are jobs in football and then there is the England job – and you can’t really do what he did.

“But in terms of him, as a person and his credibility, I don’t necessarily think he’s committed a huge crime, so yes I do think he can return.” Michael Owen was talking at the launch of a threeyear Premier League and BT Disability Programme to inspire disabled people through sport.