Gareth Southgate is set to lift the lid on what he found in Premier League boardrooms across the country
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate is undertaking an intriging new role with a former Premier League executive(Image: PA)
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Gareth Southgate is set to take on a new role that will see him expose the secrets of the football boardroom. The former England boss, who left the Three Lions following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, hasn't returned to coaching despite being linked to various clubs, including Manchester United.
Southgate has hinted he may not return to management at all as his career heads in another direction. The 55-year-old has confirmed the launch of a new podcast, The Football Boardroom, which he will appear on alongside ex-Liverpool and Aston Villa executive Christian Purslow and journalist Henry Winter.
Southgate has vowed to lift the lid on his experiences dealing with club officials, managers and owners during his eight years as England boss. He said in a statement: "What happens in the Football Boardroom? It's time to find out. Along with my business partner Jimmy Worrall, I'm pleased to announce the launch of a new podcast, The Football Boardroom.
"It's a project that’s been some time in the making, and one that comes directly from my experiences inside the game. As England Manager, I was invited into every Premier League boardroom whenever I attended a match.
"While I was there primarily to watch players, another important part of the role was building relationships with managers, football directors, chief executives and, when they were present, owners.
"Over eight years, that added up to well over a thousand opportunities to observe how football clubs really function behind the scenes. The decisions, the dynamics, the personalities."
On what he learnt from observing leading clubs behind the scenes, he added: "It offered a remarkable insight into the business of the game and the people who shape it.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has been out of work since leaving his role with England(Image: Getty Images)
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"What became clear very quickly was that success or failure in football isn't decided solely on the training ground, in the dugout or on the pitch. Those moments are influenced, sometimes decisively, by a much bigger game being played off the pitch.
"A game of money, power and politics, often conducted behind closed doors, where the stakes are extraordinarily high. The Football Boardroom aims to open those doors."
Christian Purslow
Christian Purslow will join Southgate on the new podcast(Image: Getty Images)
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One of the club officials Southgate dealt with during those years was Purslow, who was Villa's CEO from 2013 to 2018. Prior to that, he held key positions at Liverpool.
As managing director between June 2009 and October 2010, he oversaw the sale of the club from unpopular then-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to current owners, the Fenway Sports Group. Purslow also had a three-year stint as Chelsea's head of global commercial activities between 2014 and 2017.
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