In case you've been hiding under a rock like I have over the past twelve hours, you may have missed this piece of momentous news that's been expected for a few weeks now. On Wednesday, Gareth Southgate was confirmed as England manager, relinquishing his interim tag and his previous job as manager of the U21 squad.
Southgate has today signed a four-year contract as #England manager. Full details: https://t.co/JcFQxJliJ7
— England (@England) November 30, 2016
The appointment is hardly a surprise, though the four-year contract perhaps is. Previous rumors had Southgate pegged only until the World Cup in Russia in 2018, but now it would appear that he'll be getting at least two qualifying cycles. Southgate was already talking about the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, in fact, in one of his interviews. It's good to have high expectations, I suppose...
While there was no official confirmation of any other staff beyond just the appointment of the manager, multiple reports have confirmed that Steve Holland will be continuing as Southgate's assistant. As reported earlier this week, the Chelsea man will serve a dual role through the end of the season, then join the England setup full-time.
Let's send him off on a winning note!