FA ‘set to interview diverse coaches’ in hunt for new England manager – with search for Gareth Southgate’s successor the first since introduction of Football Leadership Diversity Code

The English Football Association (FA) will hold talks with several coaches who meet the job requirements for the appointment procedure for the new England manager.

The English Football Association, led by Mark Buckingham, is looking for the first new manager of the men’s team since 2016, after Gareth Southgate announced this week that he would step down as manager.

The 53-year-old’s departure follows another defeat in the European Championship final. The English Football Association has promised to take the necessary time to find a successor, if necessary with an interim option.

The recruitment process, according to Sky Newsmeans that we find a manager through interviews with various coaches, where we have already identified a number of candidates.

It is the first time a men’s team manager has been appointed since the Football Leadership Diversity Code was introduced in 2020.

The Code was created to promote ‘diversity and inclusion’ in the game and thus increase equal opportunities.

Men’s clubs were given a target of ensuring that 10 per cent of new senior coaches were black, Asian or of mixed heritage.

The FA’s diversity code states: ‘Player recruitment is based on merit, with the aim of identifying the best person for the role from a diverse pool of talent. The aim is to move away from recruitment methods that are focused on personal networks, which has long been a challenge in football and limits the diversity of leadership qualities in the sport.’

According to the report, no specific vacancy will be advertised, but the FA is keen to appoint a manager who can cope with high levels of public interest and scrutiny and who has experience in a senior role.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who is black and was part of Southgate’s coaching staff when he left, said of his coaching experiences in football: ‘I’ve applied for a lot of jobs, and most of them I didn’t get an interview. Why? I don’t know. All I can tell you is that I didn’t get an interview, and I only want a job because they think I’m the right person for the job.

‘And I know that many black former players don’t want to collect their coaching badges because they feel that we don’t get a fair chance.’

Last season there were two black managers in the Premier League, while England has never had a black male manager.