Man Utd: Gareth Southgate backed for snub as Jim Ratcliffe casts glance at England boss | Football | Sport
Ten Hag secured a lifeline before the international break by guiding United to their biggest win of the season, dumping Liverpool out of the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 4-3 triumph in extra-time.
That didn’t stop intense scrutiny over his future at Old Trafford rumbling on over the last two weeks, with the England boss the subject of timely links to a Premier League return.
United can still record a successful season, making it two in two for Ten Hag, if they lift the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League with a potential top-five finish.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s structural overhaul has pushed his position in the dugout into the spotlight, though, given he has yet to provide any guarantees that the Dutchman will receive a third year.
Allardyce managed England for one game in 2016 – a 1-0 win against Slovakia – but left the role after just 67 days.
The 69-year-old can’t imagine Southgate wanting to jump immediately into a club football job after the European Championships, even if he decides to walk away from England.
“I’m not so sure if Gareth walked away from the England job that he’d want the job at Manchester United, he’d want a rest,” Allardyce told William Hill.
“He’s feeling the pressure already at England, which is unbelievable at times, and yes, it’s alright in the in-between periods, but when it’s on, it’s really on.
“The difference with United is that it’s on every day, every week, every month, every year – the intrusion is never-ending.
“I’m not sure he’d want that after all he’s done for England; he certainly wouldn’t want to jump into it straight away.
“I think the speculation around Gareth Southgate going to Manchester United has come from the new owners that have come in.
“Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come in, and there’s enough pressure at Manchester United as it is being the manager without that constant nagging in the back of your mind wondering whether Jim is really considering Gareth Southgate.
“I don’t know whether they have sat down Erik ten Hag and said, ‘Look, this is not going to happen’.”
Southgate has firmly shut down talk of a potential switch to United, describing open speculation about Ten Hag’s future as “disrespectful” earlier this month.
