Date: 29th June 2016 at 9:06am
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Gareth Southgate is reportedly in line to be appointed the interim manager of the England national team, according to Phil McNulty from BBC Sport.

The Football Association are prepared to name the 45-year-old in temporary charge of the senior Three Lions squad for the start of their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, which starts on September 4, following boss Roy Hodgson’s resignation on Monday night.

Hodgson; 68, immediately stepped down as England manager after four years in the hot seat following his side’s embarrassing EURO 2016 Round of 16 exit to minnows Iceland in Nice.

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Southgate is currently the England Under-21 boss – Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

When asked whether current England Under-21 boss Southgate could take charge for the opening World Cup qualifier against Slovakia, FA chief executive Martin Glenn responded, “We’ll see.

“We’d like to get one for the first World Cup qualifier, but if we don’t we have an interim plan in mind.

“We are not talking about names but it would be a pretty obvious one to pick.”

However the report later goes onto suggest that the managerial search could take months, where Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger would be brought into contention considering the Frenchman is entering the final year of his current contract with the Gunners.

Glenn added, “It’s such an important decision.

“We have got to get the right person. To wait a few months – if that’s what we had to do – would be the right decision.

“You might get a few interim solutions, where a few managers come to help.”

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Arsenal manager Wenger is the FA’s reported long-term managerial target – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Wenger; 66, could be available next summer if he fails to extend his reign at the Emirates Stadium, gifting the FA the golden opportunity to pursue their long-term target.

Unveiled as Arsenal manager back in September 1996; the ex-AS Monaco boss has guided the Gunners to six FA Cup trophies, six FA Community Shields and three Premier League titles – although the last once came back in 2004.

 
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