When weighing up the candidates for an England manager, you tend to look for a few things.
A proven track record of success and familiarity with English players are two of the key criteria, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find someone who ticks those two boxes and is also on the market.
One man who does spring to mind is Carlo Ancelotti, but the Italian is only just beginning his Bayern Munich project so surely won’t be available to replace Sam Allardyce.
That’s not to say he couldn’t take charge of the national side further down the line, however, and it seems he might actually be keen to do so.
Ancelotti was asked about potentially managing England in an interview with the Mail on Sunday, and hinted that he might eventually be keen – just not for a while.
“But Southgate…After that? ‘Why not? But later. You ask me now. And before there is Italian national team,” he said.
And he gave a sense of perhaps having unfinished business on these shores, saying: “I would like to stay here a little bit more, a bit longer and then after that I have to choose England or Italy.”
Ancelotti’s reasonably successful spell in charge of Chelsea – where he won the title in 2010 with 103 goals scored – would likely see him embraced by a good number of England supporters.
But before that, we may find ourselves in for a couple of years with current caretaker Southgate – or perhaps another candidate – at the helm.
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