Klopp’s new job shows why fans should NOT expect a big name to replace Southgate

JURGEN KLOPP is banking around £9million as Red Bull’s ‘head of global soccer’.

The German’s salary for his cushy new job is half of the £18m of what he was earning at Liverpool - yet it is still nearly double what Gareth Southgate received for managing England.

And this tells you everything you need to know about the current economics of international football.

Klopp’s past and current wages illustrate why it is a pointless exercise playing fantasy manager in terms of who the Football Association should be looking to appoint as the next boss of England.

Lee Carsley, who has been earning about £300,000 a year as manager of the Under-21s, has not exactly enhanced his prospects as manager.

Equally, although the 2-1 defeat to Greece on Thursday was an embarrassment, it would be unwise to take Carsley out of the equation.

If England are still able to win their next three games, including a comfortable win over Greece in Athens to top the group, then - potentially - the job could still be his.

If he wanted it, naturally, and even that is up for debate.

After this six-game Nations League programme is complete, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham will sit down with the organisation’s technical director, John McDermott, who is the man charged with recruiting the next head coach, to discuss the next appointment.

Although the FA want the best man for the job, basic economics come into play.

When the FA appointed Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, they were able to recruit who they felt were the best coaches in the world at that time.

Yet club football has moved on in terms of cash. Southgate was the top earning coach at Euro 2024 on £5m, with Germany's Julian Naglesmann close behind on £4m.

In contrast, even the inexperienced Kieran McKenna earns £5m a season at Ipswich after he signed a new deal due to interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.

The best paid manager in the world is Roberto Mancini who is scooping up £21m a year in Saudi Arabia but the mega-rich state is on a different level to everyone else.

Interestingly, the next 14 best-paid managers in the world are all with club teams.

This includes Pep Guardiola who earns about £20m a year at Manchester City.

The England job does appear to interest him although this is one for the future. Whether the Spaniard would take a monumental pay cut remains to be seen.

The FA is a not-for-profit organisation and they plough all their spare money into the game. This includes a commitment to deliver 4,000 quality pitches and to increase FA Cup prize money for the men’s and women’s game.

Even if the FA decide to back away from Carsley, financial considerations will dictate who they appoint.

Eddie Howe would be a popular choice and he would be interested in the England job.

While the FA could give him an increase from his £4m salary at Newcastle, the north-east club would demand a huge amount in compensation which the FA would be unwilling to pay.

Thomas Tuchel would be keen on taking charge of the Three Lions - with reports in Germany claiming he is ready for talks.

He last earned £8m at Bayern Munich and would take a pay cut but he remains an outsider.

Graham Potter was on £10m at Chelsea but would clearly love to take charge of the national team and money would not be an issue.

So, while some fans might still dream of seeing Guardiola or Klopp lead the team into the next World Cup, they have to get real. It will be either Carsley or Potter.