Pep Guardiola ‘was offered England job’ but turned it down

Don’t rule out Guardiola managing England in the not-too-distant future though…

Pep Guardiola was offered the job as England manager but turned it down after thinking about it for two months, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

Earlier this month, the FA announced that Thomas Tuchel had been appointed manager of the England’s men’s senior team. This brought an end to months of speculation over who would succeed Gareth Southgate as permanent manager of the side following his resignation in July.

A number of names had been linked with the vacancy, including Manchester City manager Guardiola.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said “approximately 10 people” had been interviewed for the job, and whilst hiring Guardiola was widely considered a long shot, it turns out that he might have been closer to landing the role than many thought.

Appearing on Radio 5 Live this morning, Balague, who is a close friend of Guardiola’s, was asked whether the England job was something the former Barcelona manager would be interested in at some point in the future.

Responding, Balague said: “He actually was offered the job. He thought about it for two months, and after two months he said, ‘No because I don’t even know what I’m going to do at the end of this season.’

“Manchester City right now feel he’s closer to staying than leaving but nobody really knows.”

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Tuchel has been given an 18-month contract by the FA, a deal that will see him take charge of England for the 2026 World Cup.

But Balague revealed that after this, he believes England are the favourites to secure Guardiola’s services.

He said: “What seems clear is that in the cycle from the next World Cup to the following one [in 2030], he [Guardiola] will have a national side – and England are favourites.”

But the Spaniard added: “If Tuchel wins the World Cup, forget that plan!”

Last week, Eddie Howe, who was considered by many to be a front-runner for the England job, revealed he hadn’t even been contacted by the FA over the role.

Tuchel’s first matches in charge will be in March next year when he will oversee two 2026 World Cup qualifiers though England’s opponents are not yet known.

In signing on with England, Tuchel is the first German to ever manage the men’s England national team.

He becomes just the third foreign manager ever to take charge of the England men’s team, following in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Tuchel’s first games in charge of England will be in March next year when he will oversee the team’s first two 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Interim manager Lee Carsley will remain in charge of the Three Lions for their final two Nations League games next month, against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

He will then reprise his role as the head coach of England’s U21s.