The Three Lions coach has spent the past week mulling over his future (Picture: Getty)

Gareth Southgate has decided to stay on as England manager after spending the past week considering his options, according to reports.

The 52-year-old has a contract with the Three Lions that lasts through the next European Championships and until the end of 2024, though there had been growing suggestions he could leave the role early.

Southgate was dismayed by the amount of criticism he received during England’s disappointing Nations League campaign – particularly a 4-0 defeat at home to Hungary last year.

Despite guiding England to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia four years ago, as well as the Euro 2020 final last summer, there had been some critics who felt he had benefited from fortunate runs to the latter stages of both tournaments.

England had anything but an easy route to the final in Qatar, however, and gave a strong showing in their quarter-final showdown against reigning champions France despite losing 2-1.

Nevertheless, Southgate revealed that he was considering his position as manager afterwards as he felt there was too much negativity surrounding him and he was not sure he had the ‘energy’ to continue.

According to The Telegraph, he has spent the past week since England’s defeat to France reflecting on his time in charge and has been speaking with friends and family about his future.

England’s players all want Southgate to stay (Picture: Shutterstock)

He has now decided that he will remain in charge until the end of his current contract, though he is yet to inform the Football Association.

Southgate is said to have felt that the negative spotlight being shone on him could inhibit and impact England’s players and their performances, but he did not feel that was an issue in Qatar and is far more positive about his future in charge of the Three Lions now.

The news will be a huge relief to the FA, who have been desperate for Southgate to remain in charge.

The former Middlesbrough coach has transformed England’s setup behind the scenes, made it a far more harmonious squad, blooded in a host of young talents and even boasts the best record of any England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey.

Speaking after England’s defeat to France, Southgate said of his future: ‘I don’t want to be four, five months down the line thinking I’ve made the wrong call. It’s too important for everybody to get that wrong.’

He continued: ‘I’ve found large parts of the last 18 months difficult. For everything that I’ve loved about the last few weeks, I still have how things have been for 18 months – what’s been said and what’s been written, the night at Wolves.

‘There are lots of things in my head that are really conflicted at the moment, so what I want to make sure, if it’s the right thing to stay, is that I’ve definitely got the energy to do that.’

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