Geoff Hurst: 'The next England manager MUST be English'

Since Gareth Southgate stepped down as England manager following the Three Lions' Euro 2024 final defeat, debate has raged over who the waistcoat lover's successor should be. 

While the bookies reckon Englishmen Eddie Howe and Graham Potter are frontrunners for the job, many fans have been calling for the likes of foreigners Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino. But legendary England striker Geoff Hurst – scorer of a hat-trick in England's 1966 World Cup Final win over West Germany – is demanding the FA keep their appointment close to home. 

“Who would I want to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager? I think the foreign managers we have had, overall, have been very disappointing – I want an English manager to replace Gareth," says the 82 year old, speaking on behalf of OLBG. 

“Most countries have managers who are of the same nationality of the country so I am firmly looking overall, I definitely think we should go for an English manager. Eddie Howe, Graham Potter, they did well at club level but for me, they certainly have to be English.”

Hurst also said the new manager can trust Harry Kane to be a leader for the Three Lions – but they do have to start looking for his successor. 

“I think Harry can be trusted, but also you have got to look at someone else that can replace him, maybe Ollie Watkins for example, but Harry has been fantastic. 

“I don't think he had a great tournament but I think part of that was down to the way we played. Within Harry’s framework and how he plays within the team, it prohibited his natural game. 

“But he is a good leader in the media, in the dressing room, and his record at club and international level is nothing short of sensational. People can argue he didn’t have a great tournament but he still got three goals, he still knows where the net is and we were that close to winning it all.”

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