Pep Guardiola’s England U-turn: The truth behind the FA’s manager search

Pep talk gone wrong

According to The Athletic, the Football Association had reached a verbal agreement with Guardiola after Gareth Southgate stepped down. 

However, the move never went ahead after Guardiola reportedly changed his mind, leaving the FA to pursue other candidates.

Football journalist Guillem Balague, who is a close friend of Guardiola, revealed that the former Manchester City manager took around two months to consider the offer before reaching a decision. 

He ultimately turned it down because he was uncertain about what his future would look like at the end of the season and did not want to commit too early.

Even so, Balague believes the door has not completely closed on Guardiola one day taking charge of England.

After Guardiola rejected the offer, FA then appointed Thomas Tuchel, who was confirmed as England manager in October 2024.

The Athletic reported that Tuchel's contract contained a little-known clause allowing either side to walk away after the World Cup if England failed to reach the quarter-finals. 

Under the agreement, Tuchel could have resigned without compensation, while the FA would also have had the option to dismiss him.