Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink claims Gareth Southgate is too mentally drained to consider taking the Manchester United job.
United are searching for a new boss in the wake of the club’s decision to sack Erik ten Hag. Southgate was one of United’s main targets during the period in which club bosses decided what to do with Ten Hag.
But Southgate ruled himself out of the running after deciding to take a break from football to recharge his batteries, having spent eight years as England manager. And Hasselbaink, who was part of Southgate’s coaching team at Euro 2024 this summer, reckons the former Three Lions manager is not in the right place to be considered by United.
Hasselbaink told Lucky Block: “There have been a lot of reports and rumours about Gareth’s next move after England. When you come out of a demanding job like the England one, a job that he gave all of himself to for eight years, where there is immense pressure to succeed and it’s so demanding, you need to take some time for yourself.
“And that is what he is doing at the moment. If United came knocking in the next few weeks, I think Gareth would say ‘call me in the summer’ because he is man that is true to his word.
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“I also think that whatever job he takes next, he will want to give it his absolute best and he wants to give that club the best version of Gareth Southgate. For him to do that, he needs to have this period to recharge. You have to respect that.”
Hasselbaink, meanwhile, has told Ten Hag he deserves no sympathy after losing his job. He added: “The reality is, when you’re the manager of a club like Manchester United, there will always be pressure to get results, and you have to get results.
“You need to win. You can’t spend £600million and not see results or performances improve. Ultimately, the buck always stops with the manager.
“People won’t have any sympathy because its Manchester United, and you’re expected to win. People won’t have sympathy for the reasons why you are at the position, because it’s Man United.”