Gareth Southgate admits his future as England manager depends on their Euro 2020 performance next summer

Gareth Southgate has acknowledged that he might not remain in his position as England manager if the Three Lions fail to impress in the European Championships next year.

Southgate hopes to stay on as England boss for 2022 World Cup

Southgate, whose contract with the English national team will expire in three years, guided the side to the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Nations League in the last two years. He recently helped them qualify for the Euro 2020 with a 7-0 rout of Montenegro last week and secured a place at the top of Group A with a 4-0 victory over Kosovo on Sunday.

The Three Lions may have emerged as genuine contenders for major international titles under the former Middlesbrough manager, but he is mindful that his position can change if they suffer a disaster at the Euro next summer.

The 49-year-old is set to travel to the Club World Cup in Qatar next month as a part of his plans for the 2022 World Cup that is set to take place in the country.

When asked if his trip indicates his stability as England manager, Southgate replied (via The Guardian), "That will depend very much on how we get on next summer. When you have a week like you’ve had, you sense that people can fall out of love with you and, if there isn’t a warmth for you to continue, then that can start to affect the team. I’m realistic about how quickly those tides can turn."

Southgate recently came under fire for dropping Raheem Sterling from the squad against Montenegro after the Manchester City forward was embroiled in a bust-up with teammate Joe Gomez.

He added, "Securing qualification is a little bit joyless because I’m expecting us to win these games and I’m always looking at how to get better. The players deserve huge credit for the way they’ve come through this campaign. But, for me, it’s about what’s next and I know we’ll always be judged ultimately by the tournaments in the summer."

The upcoming edition of the Euros will get underway in June next year and Southgate will look to meet the high expectations England have set from their scintillating qualification campaign and their World Cup heroics last year.