The power of football managers is being eroded – Sir Gareth Southgate

Such structures are necessary now, he says, as a head coach who “neither has the time nor, in many cases, the specialist expertise to manage complex player contracts, oversee global scouting networks, or run complex data operations.”

While some fans may believe that being a head coach rather than a technical director leads to a reduced workload, the 55-year-old says “the opposite is true” given the “larger squads, larger backroom teams, much greater analytical requirements and ever-increasing media and commercial commitments”.

He added: “The complexity of managing players in the modern era (many of whom are effectively individual brands), combined with the financial risks of clubs and the constant scrutiny of both traditional and social media, you have a huge crucible of problems and pressures.”

“My belief is that we should embrace a modern version of the traditional manager, where we get to know the people they lead, manage and coach them.

“As I once said to my bosses in England: Players are not magnets on the tactics board that can simply be moved around.

“They are human beings. Managing this reality is at the heart of modern football leadership.”

But Southgate, who was in charge of Middlesbrough and England Under-21s before coaching the England national team from 2016 to 2024, acknowledged that the different titles had led to a “subtle, and sometimes unintended, shift in power and status” – and that he “insisted on changing the job title to manager” when he was offered the England manager’s job.

He said this was necessary to reflect the “power, influence and control” he would need in the role.