Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville’s thoughts on next England boss are perfectly clear

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville might not be fully on board with Thomas Tuchel or Pep Guardiola becoming the England manager. At least, if their previous thoughts are still to be believed.

Both Guardiola and Tuchel have been heavily linked to the Three Lions as Gareth Southgate’s replacement in recent days. It emerged earlier this week that Manchester City manager Guardiola, whose contract with the Premier League champions expires next summer, is reportedly being considered by the FA.

Guardiola, 53, has previously said he wants to manage in the World Cup and with his contract on the blue side of Manchester expiring next summer, the timing could be perfect for all parties. However, the Catalan is not the only big name manager to have been sounded out for the role, as Thomas Tuchel, who is a free agent since leaving Bayern Munich, is believed to also be in the frame.

However, Neville and Carragher both admitted in the summer that they believe the next England manager should be English. Although whether two candidates of Guardiola and Tuchel’s quality changes their mind enough remains to be seen.

Shortly after Southgate resigned in July, Neville told Sky Sports: “Over the years we have had every type of manager – the fashionable, the international manager, best English managers, people who have come through the ranks with youth teams. There is no science in terms of what works and there are obvious contenders.

“Graham Potter and Eddie Howe will get mentioned and I think it will definitely be an English manager. Moving to St George’s Park was to promote and develop English coaches. To take that away from an English manager and give it to an international manager would be wrong.”

While not completely shutting the door on the potential of a foreign coach becoming manager, Neville added: “You can’t dismiss Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, sensational managers like that but we don’t develop our own managers. English coaching has a long way to go to catch up with the other great nations. We have to work hard and put them in the biggest environments and toughest matches.Give them an opportunity.” He also added on Sky Sports: “I do believe we should stay [with] an English coach.”

Carragher offered a similar viewpoint. He said: “I’m not a believer in foreign managers managing England. It’s nothing against foreigners – what foreign managers and players have done to the Premier League is amazing. “It’s basically made what our league is today which is the envy of the world. But we’re not an emerging nation, we’re England and I know we’ve only won one trophy but other countries on our level – Italy, Spain, Germany – they don’t have foreign managers. We don’t need a foreign manager, we’ve done it before.”

Continuing, he added: “I was involved in those times under Sven [Goran-Eriksson] and Fabio Capello – it wasn’t great. Not a patch on what Gareth Southgate’s done. He had no pedigree in management before getting the job and I think that tells you in itself that it’s not about going and getting the best manager in club football. Club football is completely different.

“Spain have just won the tournament with a coach no one really knows. I’m not a big believer in that you have to get a Jurgen Klopp or a Pep Guardiola and that will make the difference.

“International football is knockout football. If you look at the Champions League, Pep Guardiola doesn’t win it every year even though he’s the best manager and probably has the best team. Things can go awry, things can happen.”