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Richard Keys drags Jurgen Klopp into bonkers plea for Gareth Southgate to be sacked mid-Euro 2024

Richard Keys on beIN Sports
-Credit: (Image: beIN Sports)


Richard Keys has dragged Jurgen Klopp into his bonkers outburst for England to sack Gareth Southgate ahead of their Euro 2024 round-of-16 tie on Sunday.

The Three Lions progressed to the knockout stages of the tournament with an unbeaten record, but have struggled in Germany with Southgate facing increasing scrutiny as a result.

An unconvincing 1-0 victory over Serbia was followed by dismal draws with both Denmark and Slovenia. Yet results elsewhere in Group C ensured England still finished first to secure their place in the ‘kinder’ side of the knock-out draw.

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As things stand, the Three Lions will face Netherlands in their last 16 fixture, and disgraced former Sky Sports presenter Keys wants Southgate sacked ahead of Sunday’s fixture.

"I’m so depressed, I thought that was so miserable once again tonight,” he said on beIN Sports when asked by Netherlands legend Ruud Gullit if he would sack Southgate. “I’m at a point where if I were able to make that decision, yes, I probably would because I think we are going nowhere double quick.

“We’re here to win it. That, what I’ve seen tonight, that’s not winning the next game, let alone this tournament."

When asked who we would turn to instead by former Liverpool star Luis Garcia, Keys dragged former Reds boss Klopp into his wild shout as to who he wants to replace the England manager for the rest of the tournament, with his actual suggestion prompting laughs from the Spaniard, Gullit, and fellow pundits Gray and Jason McAteer.

"Harry Redknapp’s sat in Dubai tonight, give him a call. [Jurgen] Klopp won’t do it but Harry, you think he'd be on a plane tomorrow morning? Too right he would!"

By mentioning Klopp, Keys seemingly hints that he would have wanted the German to replace Southgate as England, but is well-aware the former Liverpool boss is on a sabbatical from football after leaving the Reds at the end of the season, and has no desire to return to management for at least a year.

While calling for Southgate to be replaced is not necessarily a crazy shout, especially when his future was uncertain beyond the tournament regardless, it is a bold call to want him dismissed mid-tournament - even if it worked for Ivory Coast in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

However, calling for Redknapp to replace Southgate is particularly bonkers, given the fact that the 77-year-old has essentially been retired from management since being sacked by Birmingham City after an unsuccessful stint of the then-Championship side in 2017.

Prior to his spell at St. Andrew’s, he had spent a brief stint in charge of the Jordan national side in what would prove to be his only taste of international management during a 34-year career.

Last managing in the Premier League with Queen’s Park Rangers in 2015, Redknapp famously thought he was going to be appointed England manager when still in charge of Tottenham Hotspur back in 2012. However, he missed out to former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson.