Who should be the next England manager?

[Jockey]

[NuggetTNQ]

Guss was the man for Australia and doing good things with Russia. Us Aussies were sad to see him go

[Jockey]

From "The Scotsman"

WITHIN an hour of Steve McClaren's dismissal as England manager yesterday, Ladbrokes had installed former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill as favourite to take his place. The FA has stated it will not be hurried into an appointment, but that has not stopped a number of leading names - like Jose Mourinho - ruling themselves out, while others push towards the front of the queue.

• MARTIN O'NEILL

Has said he would have taken the post if the FA had offered it to him last year. Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has said he would not stand in his manager's way if England come calling again, but the FA might have some backtracking to do to convince the Northern Irishman he is their man. Bookies odds: 7-4

• JOSE MOURINHO

The former Chelsea manager has the nous and presence to command respect from a squad of multi-millionaires, while also being willing to trade blows with the meanest of the press pack. Too bad he is not interested in the job. Bookies odds: 7-2

• FABIO CAPELLO

Out of work since guiding Real Madrid to the Spanish title last summer, the Italian, pictured below, has a host of club achievements under his belt. Interested in the post. Bookies odds: 10-1

• LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI

The FA made such a botch of trying to appoint Scolari last year that the Brazilian World Cup-winning coach might be scared off for life. Will end his time as Portugal coach after Euro 2008, but the FA may want him sooner than that. Bookies odds: 5-1

• GUUS HIDDINK

If you can't beat them, take their manager. The Dutchman guided Russia to Euro 2008 at the expense of England, but is under contract until 2010 and would be an expensive pursuit. Bookies odds: 6-1

• MARCELLO LIPPI

Guided Italy to victory at the last World Cup and continued to circle over his old post until Roberto Donadoni's side finally took their place at Euro 2008 last weekend. Bookies odds: 20-1

• ALAN SHEARER

Untried as a manager and possibly burned his bridges with the current squad by criticising them through his media work, yet still the shortest priced of all the English candidates. Bookies odds: 10-1

• HARRY REDKNAPP

The form horse, with his Portsmouth side defying expectations in sixth place in the Premier League. Has not ruled himself out. Bookies odds: 25-1

• SAM ALLARDYCE

Likely to drift in the betting having said he is not interested in the job. Bookies odds: 25-1

• STEVE COPPELL

Impressive record as a club manager, but has walked away from jobs in the past due to pressure, so not an ideal candidate. Bookies odds: 33-1

• PAUL JEWELL

Has worked wonders with provincial clubs, but might not have the clout to make England's players listen. Available, though. Bookies odds: 33-1

• ALAN CURBISHLEY

Like Redknapp, has a pool of backers in the media although he has never won anything of note. Bookies odds: 33-1

• SIR ALEX FERGUSON

Of all the outsiders, the fiercely proud Scot may be the longest of shots. Bookies odds: 50-1

[Jockey]

Another article from "The Scotsman" - A bit long but an excellent piece of writing:

LIKE two lifts arriving at the same floor from opposite directions, England and Scotland are suddenly on the one level. The hapless Steve McClaren's team have not exactly descended from the penthouse suite, but Alex McLeish's spirited side have certainly climbed from the basement.

The defeat by Croatia at Wembley the other night having demoted England from the first to the second tier of seeds in the looming World Cup draw, the Scots' stirring performances in the Euro 2008 qualifying series have thrust them up into the same pot.

Whatever other elements may be introduced to the debate on what has brought the two neighbours together, the most significant - and the one that seems to this observer to be beyond dispute - is the utter necessity of sound management.

The present, shared status would have been unimaginable as recently as two-and-a-half years ago. In March, 2005, Scotland's disarray under Berti Vogts through the previous two seasons had seen them plummet to 88th in the world rankings. England, in eighth place, were on their way to a World Cup in Germany for which they were among the favourites actually to win the trophy.

The regeneration begun by Walter Smith and continued by McLeish, most conspicuously in the direction of commitment, application, camaraderie and organisation, has been the mirror image - that is, a reversal - of what has occurred south of the Border under Sven-Goran Eriksson and, even more devastatingly, McClaren.

It may be argued that the assignment taken on by the successive Scotland managers was, for two reasons, less hazardous than the one faced by Eriksson and McClaren. The first is that, having dropped below Burkina Faso in the ratings - with a commensurate fall in the country's expectations - the Scots could hardly go any lower. That claim, however, is founded mainly on sarcasm and, as an implied insult to the work done by Smith and McLeish, should not be taken seriously.

The second, and more relevant, reason is Smith and McLeish were trying to influence players not contaminated by the head-turning earnings associated with those who wear the white shirts. The widespread acceptance that the multi-millionaires of the English Premier League are not easily motivated merely underlines the need for an authoritative figure at the helm.

Anyone who has spent time in the company of the most formidable managers in the modern history of the game will testify to the charisma and credibility they all had or have in common. Even a first meeting with Jock Stein, Brian Clough, Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Marcello Lippi, Fabio Capello and the rest would be sufficient to convince the most sceptical that these were and are men to be taken very seriously.

By comparison, the uncertain, often seemingly bewildered McClaren - for whom it was considered necessary to engage a media "guru" to try to manufacture for him a more plausible, but nevertheless artificial, public image - is a pygmy. Unlike the giants mentioned above, it is not difficult to imagine McClaren walking into a room - including his own dressing room - without so much as a ripple of attention.

This should have been obvious to the mandarins of the Football Association, whose appointment of McClaren was almost universally recognised at the time as a potentially fatal faux pas.

Eriksson, unlike his successor, had an impressive record in club management, but he, too, lacked personality. There was a tendency among observers to mistake the Swede's sangfroid and bookishness for intelligence, but his studious manner merely masked an uncertainty frequently betrayed by the unconvincing performances of his team.

Within hours of McClaren's dismissal yesterday, radio and television station phone lines shrilled with the rage of disenchanted supporters, many of whom - perhaps, even a majority - blamed the players for England's elimination from the European Championship. The most pronounced complaint was that their attitude was a disgrace, they took no pride in playing for their country and, sinfully, they lacked the required spirit.

This seems rather severe, since it is extremely unlikely that even the wealthiest player would be consciously indifferent. It has seemed, to this observer at least, for a long time that the problem for many of the England players has been a difficulty in translating their desire into effectiveness. This is simply further confirmation of the benefits to be mined from a manager capable of proper, positive influence.

The other most serious problem, of course, is more fundamental. It is the ever-growing impression that many of the players are not of the standard required to fulfil national expectations. The puzzlement of many fans over the failure of players they regard as some of the best in the world is due in no small measure to the illusory nature of the Premier League.

It is a mathematical equation, rather than interpretive judgment, which leads to the conclusion that, if the league is the best in the world, the best English players in it must be among the best in the world. No amount of evidence to the contrary - the regular failures of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole are prime examples - will deflect the misguided from their conviction. Nor is it likely to make much difference to point out that, of the 200 or so players who represent the 14 countries who have qualified for Euro 2008 - hosts Austria and Switzerland excepted - only around a dozen operate in the Premier League.

It is fair to stress that, on Wednesday, McClaren was unfortunate to have lost John Terry, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen to injury and Rio Ferdinand to suspension. No team could lose that quartet - especially, in the circumstances in which the Croatia match was played, the central defenders - without being damaged.

But England's failure to reach the first two in a group which could hardly be described as daunting - wouldn't Scotland have preferred the comparatively moderate Russia and Israel to France and Ukraine? - is not the penalty for losing one match. It is, rather, the consequence of several years of flawed management.

The repercussions will include the promised root-and-branch investigation into the entire structure of the English game, although such reactions are inevitable whenever a so-called giant takes a tumble. Doubtless, the 'findings' will include the old, unconvincing saw about too many foreigners in the domestic game hindering the development of home-bred talent by denying young natives opportunities.

The FA should perhaps look to Germany, where the national team reached the metaphorical basement at Euro 2000, largely through the sudden scarcity of players of the quality to which the country had become accustomed. As recently as last year's World Cup, they were generally unfancied hosts, but belied their pre-tournament odds by reaching the semi-finals under the inspired management of Jurgen Klinsmann.

The problem for the FA now, of course, is they seem not to have an English manager with Klinsmann's properties. It has always seemed absurd that Eriksson's under-achievement should be proposed by the more jingoistic - and even xenophobic - voices in the south as conclusive evidence of the worthlessness of appointing a foreigner.

It is impossible to imagine that Marcello Lippi, for example, would not have an energising influence on a squad in serious need of strong leadership. The mess left by McClaren - to say nothing of the hysterical media attention which discouraged Luiz Felipe Scolari when he was offered the job 19 months ago - does, however, make the job substantially less appealing than it should be.
'Embarrassed' FA plans root and branch review

COLIN STEWART

FOOTBALL Association chairman Geoff Thompson admits that England's failure to qualify for next summer's European Championships is an "embarrassment" which left his board with no choice but to sack manager Steve McClaren.

McClaren was officially axed, along with assistant Terry Venables, following an emergency meeting of the 12-man panel at Soho Square yesterday morning - in the wake of the capitulation to Croatia at Wembley. The search will now begin for a new manager, just 15 months and 18 games after McClaren was appointed, as the FA conduct a "full root-and-branch examination of the whole England senior team set-up."

Despite overwhelming confidence that McClaren was the right man to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson, FA chief executive Brian Barwick admits the former Middlesbrough manager came up short in terms of results and performance.

Speaking at a hastily-arranged press conference, chairman Thompson said: "Of course, we feel embarrassed. As we said earlier, we expect as a major nation in Europe to qualify for the European Championships and World Cups. We are embarrassed and disappointed, like all fans.

"Of course, we have no divine right to play in any major tournament - but it is quite right that qualification is expected."

The decision to wield the axe was "unanimous", according to chief executive Barwick.
KEANE SLATES 'BIG HEADS'

ROY Keane has claimed that England players have inflated egos and are so obsessed by club football that they no longer care about playing for their country.

"England should qualify with the players they have but good players don't always make a good team," said the former Ireland midfielder, now manager of Sunderland.

"I tend to think there are too many egos in there, too many big heads. If you get carried way with a little bit of success then you are in trouble.

"I don't think international football is important to a lot of these players and club football has taken over for a lot of top players."

[higgy]

There is certainly no rush to fill the position but why are we just talking about the Manager.
The most important issue has to be the FA board,a bunch of old f***s with no football background,surely they have to be brought to account for employing the recent occupant of the job.Start with Barwick the former head of ITV sport,he,s 53 but looks 73 as the job has proved too much for him as the debacle of his ill fated trip to see Scholari proved.There are 4 more incumbents on the board who are over the age of 60.Brian Mawhinney who is 67 was a former Tory party chairman for crying out loud what qualities is he going to bring to the party.Geoff Thompson FA Chairman 62 years old who announced yesterday that a "Root and Branch" investigation of the whole England set up would be held.Oh yea how about starting with the FA Board Geoff,get rid of em!
I am not being ageist but would like to see real football people who have played or managed at the highest level being on the board with new younger members who have different ideas and agendas who are in touch with grass roots football
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[Jockey]

Spot on.

[Wanderlust]

Excellent article from The Scotsman, Jockey. As far as Curbishley goes, he has ruled himself out before McLaren's sacking and his views on the problems facing England are interesting too (c + p from the Observer) -

Curbs: count me out of England
West Ham manager backs call to stem foreign influence. By Duncan Castles
Sunday November 18, 2007
The Observer

It has been a week of soul-searching for the national game. 'Horrendous', 'impossible', 'a job no one will want to take' were just three of the negative depictions of the England manager's position. The nation's European Championship future at the mercy of Macedonia, Israel, Russia and Croatia; its long-term future darkened by the ever burgeoning horde of foreign footballers employed on these shores.
Eighteen months ago the country's most lauded home-grown coaches had submitted themselves to the Football Association's horribly drawn-out appointment process. Today, Steve McClaren is being hounded out by the media, Sam Allardyce is battling for survival at Newcastle and Alan Curbishley is emphatically not interested in serving the FA were they to come double-interviewing again.

'When I was at Charlton I had all sorts of clauses in the contract - for other clubs, for the national side - and that's why I was given permission to talk in the first place but I didn't seek any of those sort of things in this contract,' says Curbishley, the West Ham United manager. 'I'm ruling myself out entirely. This is where I want to be and this is where I want to be successful, so I've got no intention of leaving the club.'
If that sounds like another victory for Premier League over patriotism it is deceptive. A consistent champion of Englishness from the grass-roots to his profession's senior appointment, Curbishley's passion for the national team remains undiminished - as concerned with the quality of player feeding through from youth levels as he is that England's manager should remain a compatriot.

Six of his 13 permanent transfers into West Ham, and the majority of his recruitment budget, have involved Englishmen. Curbishley's interview with The Observer came on an afternoon spent handing over FA certificates to a class of community coaches, one of several personal contributions to the Premier League's Creating Chances programme. 'The problems are obvious,' says Curbishley. 'At the start of the Premier League season, I think 40 per cent of the players playing were English. The second week it went down because of injuries or change of selection. That is very difficult for Steve McClaren. Secondly, [the under-21 manager] Stuart Pearce has got to scrutinise where he wants to go because he has to ensure that there are a few English players playing to make it worthwhile.

'It reminds me a little bit of Scotland a couple of years ago when you were going to a Scottish game and there were hardly any Scottish players on the pitch. It has become very, very difficult and I think one of the reasons is the global market. The Premier League is very attractive to a lot of players and it's going to become more attractive.'

Other statistics bear out Curbishley's concern. In the first week of the Premiership in 1992, a mere 11 non-British players started matches. Currently, it employs senior professionals from 62 different nations while its youth ranks become less English by the season. That is another worry for the West Ham manager.

'I think the clubs have invested so much money in the coaching and the facilities - at most clubs now they are second to none and totally different to what we had growing up - but I don't know if there is the enthusiasm coming from the raw material,' says Curbishley. 'That's one of the biggest problems. The standard and the number of coaches and the infrastructure is far greater than 10, 20, 30 years ago but we don't seem to have the same players coming through.

'I keep going back to the raw material. I think the raw material has got to want to be a footballer, or love the game, or want to improve. I think they see what can be achieved but I don't know if they want to go out and get it. I can't help thinking we're bringing up a softer generation, where there's other things in life, as opposed to football.'

Regulating squads through a quota system is a solution that Curbishley can see merit in. Be it the Uefa method of reserving a proportion of squad slots for home-grown players, the Scottish Premier League's mandate that a team lists at least two under-21s, or Sepp Blatter's proposal at Fifa that no more than five of the starting XI be foreigners.

'I think it's happened in other countries and sports and been accepted,' says Curbishley. 'It wasn't too long ago that cricket had to do that, stop the influx of the foreign cricket player. I'm quite into rugby union and haven't they got a similar problem, that half their squad is foreign? If there is going to be a development that is going to help the home nations bring more people through, then we're got to do it.

'It's no coincidence that Mark Noble's is the biggest-selling West Ham shirt. Because he's one of two home-grown players at the moment, because the fans can identify and see that he's one of them. It's so much better for a club and a team if that can be done.'

Artificially or not, increasing the number of Englishmen on Premier League teamsheets should diminish another problem handicapping the national team. 'No sooner does an English player break into his Premier League team than he's being touted for England,' says Curbishley. 'He's played a handful of games and people are talking about him that he's going to come through - because there's not a lot about.'

Their talents often exaggerated by observers, when such youngsters do make the national team the pressures increase again. 'They turn up, the focus of attention is on them and everything that they do. They can't even walk along the street. We all know it's a difficult situation the national side. Everyone is under pressure to perform, but it seems to me that they don't perform with perhaps the same feel and the same freedom as when they play for their clubs. Perhaps that's something we should look at.'

Curbishley still feels the current England team are 'better than what they're producing'. Though he no longer wants the job, he also refutes the suggestion that managing the team is mission impossible. What has not changed is his belief that the mission should be undertaken by an English coach, which he says should continue to be McClaren regardless of his Euro qualifying campaign.

[Roel]

After seeing the England - Croatia game as for a new coach for England one name came into my mind immediately: John Cleese.

(Does not guarantee qualification for the world cup but one way or the other you would have a good laugh).
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We are all living in 'the good old days' of the future.

[Jim]

After the award of honory European Champions to Scotland - which is only right as they would have won had they not lost so unluckily - England definitely needs a Scotsman as the next manager. Alex Mcleish unfortunately suffers from the same ginger disorder as Mclaren and has to be rules out immediately, which leaves the only serious candidate the man who has taken east Fife 9 points clear at the top of the league..step fprward David Baikie, the man to bring the World Cup back home.
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[The understudy]

Hallo Y'all

One Name didn't mention here in this entire post was Juergen Klinsman. I believe he could bring back the England squad back on their feed, The Problem is that Klinsi has not taken a Job sind the departure from the German National Team. Another Issue was that Klinsi's Family lives in Southern California (Orange County to be exact) and he still insist on travelling back and fourth and that had irritated German public. Being a national Manager of ones Country is required that that Mgr. stays @ that Country Which Juergen Klinsman refuses to do.

Is Juergen Klinsmann the right man for ther Job as England Manager? I guess so.

Your's The understudy!!!
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[caller]

The funniest comments have to be those of Keane and his talk of "ego's".

Lets raise a glass to a man who walked out of his country at the world cup finals because of a row with his manager, who he verbally abused in front of everyone, complaining about everything, including saying he wasn't even a proper irishman! (True, but that applied to half of his colleagues).

Hypocritical tosser.

[Luxrebel]

Steve Staunton is available........

[Condoking]

[JD]

Or Gordon Strachan - The post match interviews would be more entertaining than the match - probably.


Gordon Strachan on himself

Reporter: "Welcome to Southampton. Do you think you are the right man to turn things around?"
Strachan: "No. I was asked if I thought I was the right man for the job and I said, 'No, I think they should have got George Graham because I'm useless.'"


Gordon Strachan in a press conference

Reporter: "Gordon, can we have a quick word please?"
Strachan: "Velocity." (walks off)


Gordon Strachan on Wayne Rooney

"Its an incredible rise to stardom, at 17 you're more likely to get a call from Michael Jackson than Sven-Goran Eriksson."


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Per Angusta In Augusta.
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[lomuamart]

Good one JD,
There was an interview with Gordon Strachan, held by a woman in Glasgow. I'm sure football fans have seen it over here, but it's a classic.
Gordan Strachan was polite.
'cor, he's a fiery character and good luck to him
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