Pep Guardiola appears content to remain away from football management for now following his exit from Manchester City, with former England defender Joleon Lescott cautioning that it would be unwise to make any hasty decisions regarding Thomas Tuchel’s future as England manager. The German coach is under scrutiny after the Three Lions’ World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.
Tuchel’s tactical choices have come into question after England’s narrow loss. The former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich boss is said to have misjudged his approach against Lionel Messi and his team. The match in Atlanta saw Anthony Gordon give England an early lead, but the side became overly defensive thereafter.
Instead of maintaining attacking intent, Tuchel opted for conservative substitutions, which allowed Argentina to dominate. Messi provided two crucial assists, helping to prolong England’s six-decade wait for a major international title.
Rather than pushing to extend their lead, England sat back, inviting pressure that Messi ultimately capitalised on. The result has led to criticism of Tuchel, with some voices suggesting his contract — set to run through to the 2028 European Championship on home soil — should be reconsidered.
Eddie Howe, who recently delivered long-awaited silverware to Newcastle United, has been mentioned as a possible replacement. At the same time, Guardiola’s availability after concluding a glittering 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium naturally fuels speculation.
When asked whether England should tempt Guardiola into international management, Lescott, speaking to GOAL in association with UniBet Online Casino, said: “I don’t think Pep is bored, and seeing how quickly opinions can change, I doubt he’d want the job!”
He added, “In terms of Thomas Tuchel, yes, we should be disappointed by the result, but it’s unfair to place blame so quickly. There’s no divine right to win the World Cup — especially in a semi-final against the reigning champions and arguably the greatest player ever.”
Lescott continued, “Reaching the semi-final wasn’t an overachievement. We were among the top four seeds, as were the others. Once you get to that stage, it depends on the night. Unfortunately for us, it didn’t go our way.”
England’s latest setback adds to a long history of near misses stretching back six decades. From Diego Maradona’s magic to Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance, via penalty heartbreaks, red cards, and back-to-back European Championship final losses, the Three Lions have repeatedly fallen just short.
When asked about the main lesson England should take from this disappointment, Lescott — who earned 26 caps during his playing career with Everton and Manchester City — replied: “The key takeaway? It’s easy to say now, but maybe we just need to keep faith in what’s working.”
He explained, “I’m not sure how many saves Jordan Pickford had to make before our goal, but after scoring, he was tested far more, and they even hit the post. That’s how games flow sometimes.”
“When a team has nothing to lose — as Argentina did — they can make bold substitutions. If they lose 2-0, it’s the same outcome, they’re out. The match was in our favour until that point, but once they scored, momentum shifted, and we were forced back.”
“Even after their first goal, we had a brief spell on top — we pinned them in their box. We’ve got to recognise that these swings happen in football, but unfortunately, it lasted too long for us, and we couldn’t hold them off.”
England now turn their attention to the third-place play-off against France on Saturday, aiming to end their North American campaign on a positive note after a draining tournament.
Competitive fixtures resume in the autumn, with the UEFA Nations League beginning in September. England could face World Cup winners Spain in their opening match. Whether Tuchel remains in charge by then remains to be seen.
