Why I stepped away from football - Southgate

The 56-year-old, who guided England to back-to-back European Championship finals at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, said he no longer sees himself returning to club management in the Premier League. Southgate resigned after England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final and has remained out of management since then.

As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, speaking on The Amol Rajan Connection, Southgate admitted that his enjoyment of football had declined towards the end of his time with the national team. "I don't see a scenario where I do that," he said when asked about the possibility of returning to Premier League management.

"Towards the end of my time with England, I stopped enjoying, at the very least for a period, the wins keep you going. By the end, I didn't even enjoy the wins for any longer than a couple of minutes.

The former Middlesbrough manager added that he had not returned to a football ground since attending the FA Cup final to watch his boyhood club, Crystal Palace, win their first major trophy. I went to the FA Cup final to see my team, Crystal Palace, win their first trophy.

I've not been to a football ground since. So my sort of desire to be involved in football has changed," he added.

Southgate, who managed Middlesbrough for three years from 2006, has instead embraced new opportunities since leaving the England job. He has worked in the media, presented a BBC documentary exploring the challenges facing young men and boys, and served as a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School in Boston.

The former England defender said the change had allowed him to discover interests beyond the pressures of football management. "I've loved the last 18 months of my life," he said.

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I've met politicians, I've met people in the media industry, I have learned about leadership in all sorts of areas, I've travelled around the world learning things. I've just enjoyed playing a different film in my life."