Southgate steps down. Who will take the bench next?

There are many names and a lot of conjecture about the potential successor to Gareth Southgate in one of the most sought-after positions in soccer as the search for the next England manager got underway on Tuesday.

Less than 48 hours after England’s devastating 2-1 loss to Spain in the European Championship final on Sunday, Southgate, who has been in command since 2016, announced his resignation.

The announcement was not shocking at all, and attention quickly shifted to England’s future and whether they should seek for a talented replacement from abroad or another local player.

Football Association Chief Executive Mark Bullingham stated in a statement, “We aim to have our new manager confirmed as soon as possible. The process for appointing Gareth’s successor is now under way.”

“We have an interim plan in place in case it becomes necessary, and our UEFA Nations League campaign begins in September.

“We know there will be inevitable speculation, but we won’t be commenting further on our process until we appoint.”

The next manager of England, who is still chasing its first major championship since winning the 1966 World Cup on home soil, will need to have big shoulders to withstand the weight of history and expectations.

Experience in the Premier League and man-management abilities—namely, the capacity to foster and preserve a culture of teamwork and tolerance in the face of harsh criticism—will probably be prerequisites.

Eddie Howe, the manager of Newcastle United, Graham Potter, the former manager of Chelsea, and Lee Carsley, the coach of the England under-21 team, appear to be the front-runners right now if the FA chooses another Englishman as predicted.

Carsley might work in Southgate’s scenario—he was the under-21 coach and had been employed first as a temporary replacement before being given the full-time position.

Potter, who has been without a club since Chelsea fired him last year, would be available right away, but Howe would probably have to accept a pay drop.

Former England defender Gary Neville told Sky Sports television, “Over the years we’ve had every different type of manager; the fashionable, international managers, the best English managers, we’ve had Gareth who’s been through the ranks with younger teams.”

“I’m not sure where England is headed next.” There are a few clear favorites; Eddie Howe and Graham Potter, I believe, will be brought up.

“It would be incorrect to hire an international manager; I believe there will be an English manager. We must train a coach for English.”

Star England players Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, who have had less success as managers, appear far down the list of potential.

With odds on former Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, PSG, and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel (a former Bayern Munich and Chelsea manager), and recently fired Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, bookmakers added some international flair and a dash of fantasy.

Other possibilities that were being mentioned were Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, whose contract with the team expires in 2019, and Jose Mourinho, the former manager of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham.

Even the 74-year-old Arsene Wenger (100-1), Juergen Klinsmann (150-1) and Sam Allardyce (200-1) had odds available with William Hill, while Sarina Wiegman, the Dutch women’s manager for England, was a competitive 50-1.