Taxi For Mcclown

[mrtoad]

FA to meet over McClaren future

The Football Association is to hold a board meeting on Thursday at 0830 GMT to discuss Steve McClaren's future.

After his side failed to qualify for Euro 2008, McClaren insisted he would not resign as England coach.

"I'm not stepping down," McClaren told BBC Sport after England, who needed just a point to qualify from Group E, lost 3-2 to Croatia at Wembley.

"I take responsiblity - it was my job to get us qualified and I failed to do it. I'm not discussing my future."

BBC chief football correspondent Mike Ingham told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Steve McClaren is scheduled to go to South Africa on Friday for the World Cup draw on Sunday.

"Something has to be sorted out before then."

Scott Carson's awful attempt to stop Niko Kranjcar's shot gifted Croatia an early lead and Slaven Bilic's side went in at the break 2-0 up after Ivica Olic capitalised on some ponderous defending.

Frank Lampard's penalty and Peter Crouch's superb volley hauled England level, but Mladen Petric's raking shot gave Croatia the win.

"We feel exactly the same as the fans, believe you me, we know how they are feeling," said McClaren.

"I' m not looking to the future, I'm thinking about this game, what could have been, what wasn't, and really how we get over this."

Chelsea defender John Terry, who was appointed England captain when McClaren succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson but missed Wednesday's defeat due to injury, quickly lept to the former Middlesbrough manager's defence.

"There is full support for Steve McClaren," said Terry.

"It's been great working with him. We have thoroughly enjoyed it really enjoyed it and we take collective responsibility.

"It's not just Steve, it's the players. We are the ones going out there performing and not getting the right results.

"It's not just up to Steve to take it all on his shoulders, as an England team we all take the big responsibility."

It's about time MCcLOWN did something right and pick up the phone and tender his resination. The problem is, he's so <deleted> incompetent that he probably couldn't even select the right phone number.

Last night was a shambles, and was a complete reflection of his reign of incompetence. Poor tactics, poor selection and now idea how to change things when he needed to. After getting back in the game, he then reverted back to trying to defend it. As Delboy would say "WHAT A PLONKER!"

The big question is, who's next in?

Here's a few that are available, but weather they want it or not is a different matter.

1. Mourinhio - The FA should do something daring for a change and get this guy in. He clearly has the tactics, nows the English game and has an outstanding record. Could the FA stomach him? I'm not sure, but I think he'd be great.

2. Lippi -He's available, great track record and turned down the Birmingham job this week. Maybe he was holding out?

3. Jol - See Lippi, although minus the track record.

4. Alan Shearer - Mr Personality. The FA would love him, as he would sit quite comfortabll with all the old duffers. Anyone remeber Keegan?

5. Klinsman - Could be the dark horse, did a great job with Germany, not working at present and has been linked with the Aussie job. Surely, Englan is more tempting?

6. Shebby Singh - Wants to play Gerrard at right back, and has a few interesting ideas. Would have Steve McMhaon as his assitant and Paul Masefiel as head coach. No really a dream team, but might turn up in a few nightmares.

7. Graham Souness - Well, he's linked with every <deleted> job, so why not this one?

8. Paul Jewell - See Souness

9. Stuart Pearce - See Souness and Jewell

10. Gus Hiddink - Well, you never know. Chance would be a fie thing.

Anyway, thats my first slant on it. Let's get a good thread here going.

[mrtoad]

McClaren axed after Euro exit

By PAT SHEEHAN and SHAUN CUSTIS

Published: Today

STEVE McCLAREN was last night sacked as England manager.

The FA will rubberstamp the decision at an emergency board meeting this morning after England’s Euro dream died following the humiliating defeat by Croatia.

Immediately after the game, McClaren had insisted he would not quit. But we can reveal senior FA board members informed McClaren half an hour later that he was out.

The doomed England boss will receive a ฃ2.5million golden handshake despite failing to get England to the 2008 Euro finals.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick, his trusted aid Simon Johnson, FA chairman Geoff Thompson and chairman of the international committee Noel White met at 10.30 last night and decided to call an FA board meeting for 8.30am this morning.

McClaren had been booked on the plane to South Africa tomorrow for Sunday’s World Cup draw in Durban but his seat will be cancelled.

He had always said he wanted to be judged after the 12 Euro qualifiers but last night’s Wembley horror show signalled just how low England had sunk under his leadership.

[mrtoad]

Who should replace McClaren?

By PAUL JIGGINS

Published: 21 Nov 2007

SO WHO is going take over from Steve McClaren? SunSport takes a look at the contenders for the England hotseat.

MARTIN O’NEILL Odds 7/4

THE no-nonsense Aston Villa boss is the bookies’ favourite to be the next England coach and was linked with the job when Sven Goran Eriksson left. But, like his mentor Brian Clough, is he too straight-talking for the suits at the FA?

JOSE MOURINHO 7/2

THE Special One would be the People’s Choice to take over after the way he managed - then left - Chelsea. But his maverick style, and rumours about his private life, may scupper the deal.

LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI 5/1

BIG Phil nearly got the job before and is among the favourites to get it again. He is under pressure in Portugal, where Mourinho is hovering in the wings, and that could lead to a switch to England.

GUUS HIDDINK 6/1

THE Dutchman has a brilliant record of leading countries to major tournaments. But you have to question his sanity if he would walk away from Russia to be our boss.

ALAN SHEARER 10/1

SUPER AL would be a popular choice - and not just on Tyneside. He may have hardly any managerial experience but his clean-cut image is right up the FA’s street.

SAM ALLARDYCE 25/1

BIG SAM was a leading contender to replace Sven but his stock has dropped alarmingly after a sticky start at Newcastle. The Geordies would probably greet his appointment as England boss even more enthusiastically than Shearer’s!

[mrtoad]

Men in the frame to be England's next manager

Dominic Fifield

Thursday November 22, 2007

The Guardian

Jose Mourinho 44

Unattached 7-2

The Special One's departure from Chelsea in September followed the breakdown of his relationship with the club's owner, Roman Abramovich, after he had established himself as the most successful manager in the club's history. Perhaps his most staggering success remains the Champions League won with Porto in 2004. Says he has a future in international management, albeit preferably with his native Portugal.

Martin O'Neill 55

Aston Villa 9-2

Heavily favoured by many in 2006 before Steve McClaren took the job. His reputation in England was cemented by his success at Leicester City, with whom he won two League Cups. Earned the nickname "Martin the Magnificent" during five glittering years at Celtic. His chairman at Aston Villa, Randy Lerner, has indicated he would not stand in his way should England come knocking.

Luiz Felipe Scolari 59

Portugal 6-1

His contract with Portugal expires after Euro 2008 but he may have burnt his bridges with the FA when officials flew to Lisbon hoping to secure his services last year. He won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, knocking out England en route, and beat England on penalties with Portugal in 2004 and 2006. Has expressed concerns about the goldfish-bowl culture of managing England.

Guus Hiddink 61

Russia 8-1

The Dutchman took Holland (1998) and South Korea (2002) to fourth place in World Cup finals and Austalia into the second round last year. He won a treble with PSV Eindhoven, whom he also led to a Champions League semi-final in 2005, and has coached in Turkey with Fenerbahce and in Spain with Valencia, Real Madrid and Real Betis. Steering Russia, with whom he is potentially contracted until 2010, to Euro 2008 at England's expense will boost his standing.

Fabio Capello 61

Unattached 14-1

The Italian has been linked with several roles since leaving Real Madrid last summer and his availability would appeal to the FA. Has won league titles with Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus but yet to coach at international level.

Alan Shearer 37

Media pundit 20-1

Former England captain boasts no management experience but has taken his Uefa coaching badges and the FA may hope he would have a similar impact as Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten did with Holland.

Steve Coppell 52

Reading 25-1

Led Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final in 1990 and third in the top flight the following year. He has since performed something of a minor miracle at Reading but unlikely to relish the media glare and recent comments about the number of foreigners in the English game suggest he may have reservations about taking on the national team.

Mark Hughes 44

Blackburn Rovers 33-1

The Welshman would be an outsider but has impressed with Wales and, more recently, with Blackburn. Under him Rovers have reached two FA Cup semi-finals and qualified for the Uefa Cup.

Terry Venables 64

England assistant manager 40-1

The former Tottenham and Barcelona manager has publicly backed McClaren but would instinctively feel that he has unfinished business with the national side having relinquished the position after a successful Euro 96.

· Odds courtesy of Paddy Power

[mrtoad]

Why McClaren would be a perfect Lib Dem leader

Steve McClaren and Terry Venables will not be short of job offers despite their latest setback

Harry PearsonNovember 21, 2007 11:43 PM The Guardian

The thing about inspirational leaders is that they don't get put off by small setbacks. They get into the marketplace and build on their failures. With their special cocktail of international experience, tactical acumen, shiny teeth and friends at the tabloids there will be no end of people queuing up for Steve McClaren and Terry Venables.

Leaders of the Liberal Democrats

After 18 months drinking from England's poisoned chalice, what better than a chance for Mac and Tel to get their hands on the Mmm-it-smells-a-bit-off-to-me coffee mug of Britain's most volatile political party? The duo are heralded as "the dream ticket" by Lib Dem rank and file, while Big Mac proclaims himself delighted to have inherited "a tremendous squad that would be the envy of the leader of any slightly left of centre and vaguely eco-friendly but not in a scary, bearded sort of way political party the world over". "Just look down the list of names: Wotnot, Youknow, That-Bloke, Thingy. Every barely credible third force across Europe would want them in their line-up," a grinning McClaren tells the media. Venables remains tight-lipped, however. A friend later tells the Daily Mail: "Terry told Mac not to give Helen Whosit the all-important Thermos flask portfolio but he just stood there sucking his pen and staring into space like he was trying to remember if Ted Rogers off 3-2-1 is still alive, or something".

Presenting Saturday Night Takeaway

Since the nation's favourite Geordie duo Ant & Dec went all Hall & Shepherd over the premium phone-line competition business, it's time for a fresh start for the weekend family entertainment show. Mac & Tel have just the experience, cheeky chappy personas and the three-letter nicknames to do the job. "Obviously what went on is disappointing," smiling Steve tells the regulators, "but we put that in the past and move forward. Clearly having a man of Terry's proven financial probity standing grim-faced behind me is a big boost on that score." The viewing figures plummet, however, and sources close to Venables later reveal that, "Tel had felt for a long while that Jiggy Bank didn't have the legs for top-flight entertainment any more but Mac was afraid to drop it. He let the item become bigger than the show".

Industrial Relations Gurus

French coaches have long plied their trade in Britain and now surely is the time to return the favour by sending Mac and Tel to the aid of the floundering president Nicolas Sarkozy. "This is a massive job, make no mistake about that," says McClaren flashing his famous ivories at the Parisian media, "anyone who knows anything about foot-stomping industrial huffs knows that in this country the population live and breath unreasonable industrial action. We've got to harness that passion and get everyone pulling in the same direction." Sadly this immediately results in a walk-out by militant French commuters and shoppers who say that pulling is not part of their job description. "Pushing and shoving forever, pulling never," says a spokesman. Venables stands firmly behind McClaren on the issue, usually rolling his eyes and making tutting noises.

Middle East Peace Envoys

"When you have tackled the Gerrard v Lampard conundrum head on like I have," Big Mac tells the world's media with a reassuring smirk, "Then believe me the Palestinian situation is something you relish." The Yorkshireman quickly gets to grips with the problem of accommodating "two absolutely top-class peoples who would walk into any other country on the planet" on the same tiny strip of grass by proposing that Hamas withdraws from Gaza because of a "wrist injury" and drafting in Mahmoud Abbas to play a holding role alongside Ehud Barak who is given licence to "roam about and blow things up". However, he singularly fails to solve the West Bank problem. A source close to Venables tells the News of the World: "I, er, sorry, Terry told him Stewart Downing didn't have the character to deal with Mossad but Steve just stood there swigging from a water-bottle and pretending he hadn't heard."

[chavy]

FA to meet over McClaren future

The Football Association is to hold a board meeting on Thursday at 0830 GMT to discuss Steve McClaren's future.

After his side failed to qualify for Euro 2008, McClaren insisted he would not resign as England coach.

"I'm not stepping down," McClaren told BBC Sport after England, who needed just a point to qualify from Group E, lost 3-2 to Croatia at Wembley.

"I take responsiblity - it was my job to get us qualified and I failed to do it. I'm not discussing my future."

BBC chief football correspondent Mike Ingham told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Steve McClaren is scheduled to go to South Africa on Friday for the World Cup draw on Sunday.

"Something has to be sorted out before then."

Scott Carson's awful attempt to stop Niko Kranjcar's shot gifted Croatia an early lead and Slaven Bilic's side went in at the break 2-0 up after Ivica Olic capitalised on some ponderous defending.

Frank Lampard's penalty and Peter Crouch's superb volley hauled England level, but Mladen Petric's raking shot gave Croatia the win.

"We feel exactly the same as the fans, believe you me, we know how they are feeling," said McClaren.

"I' m not looking to the future, I'm thinking about this game, what could have been, what wasn't, and really how we get over this."

Chelsea defender John Terry, who was appointed England captain when McClaren succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson but missed Wednesday's defeat due to injury, quickly lept to the former Middlesbrough manager's defence.

"There is full support for Steve McClaren," said Terry.

"It's been great working with him. We have thoroughly enjoyed it really enjoyed it and we take collective responsibility.

"It's not just Steve, it's the players. We are the ones going out there performing and not getting the right results.

"It's not just up to Steve to take it all on his shoulders, as an England team we all take the big responsibility."

It's about time MCcLOWN did something right and pick up the phone and tender his resination. The problem is, he's so <deleted> incompetent that he probably couldn't even select the right phone number.

Last night was a shambles, and was a complete reflection of his reign of incompetence. Poor tactics, poor selection and now idea how to change things when he needed to. After getting back in the game, he then reverted back to trying to defend it. As Delboy would say "WHAT A PLONKER!"

The big question is, who's next in?

Here's a few that are available, but weather they want it or not is a different matter.

1. Mourinhio - The FA should do something daring for a change and get this guy in. He clearly has the tactics, nows the English game and has an outstanding record. Could the FA stomach him? I'm not sure, but I think he'd be great.

2. Lippi -He's available, great track record and turned down the Birmingham job this week. Maybe he was holding out?

3. Jol - See Lippi, although minus the track record.

4. Alan Shearer - Mr Personality. The FA would love him, as he would sit quite comfortabll with all the old duffers. Anyone remeber Keegan?

5. Klinsman - Could be the dark horse, did a great job with Germany, not working at present and has been linked with the Aussie job. Surely, Englan is more tempting?

6. Shebby Singh - Wants to play Gerrard at right back, and has a few interesting ideas. Would have Steve McMhaon as his assitant and Paul Masefiel as head coach. No really a dream team, but might turn up in a few nightmares.

7. Graham Souness - Well, he's linked with every <deleted> job, so why not this one?

8. Paul Jewell - See Souness

9. Stuart Pearce - See Souness and Jewell

10. Gus Hiddink - Well, you never know. Chance would be a fie thing.

Anyway, thats my first slant on it. Let's get a good thread here going.

1, Mourinhio, let's hope so.

2, Lippi, Do any of our lads speak Italian?(apart from a 'large Neopolitan please'

3, Jol, hmmm, maybe ??

4, Shearer, the Fa would love him as you say but can he cut it? I doubt it.

5, Klinnsman, are you serious Todie? the plastic jocks on this site would have a field day. Mind you ., they had their own german in charge good ole Bertie !!

6, Shebby, Masefield & McMahon...I've already had my fill of nightmares for this campaign !

7, Souness, another jock Toadie !!

8, Paul Jewell, almost Scottish, nothanks.

9, Pearce. Let him get experience at U-21's....then we'll have for the CG promotion push to the EPL

10, Hiddink...after what he said about England.....the press would have eat him up mate.

[mrtoad]

Chavy, some of thos on my list were more in jest. You seriously think I would want Souness.

I thin Mourinho is the one, and the FA should do everything they possibly can to get him.

[LeungKen]

.

Hey Mr.Toad are you going to start a thread (and run a book)for where Steve McClown goes next :

if so put me down for 50 Bt on Plymouth Argyle..............

[keddy]

.

Hey Mr.Toad are you going to start a thread (and run a book)for where Steve McClown goes next :

if so put me down for 50 Bt on Plymouth Argyle..............

50 baht on the new Scotland manager with a name like McClaren he must be a double agent for them.

[HarryHacker]

I can't see Jose fitting in with the FA to be honest, they like yes men.

Personally I would prefer an Englishman, worse way a Brit. Shearer could be interesting.

Oh and Scott learnt all he knows from my Charlton, we had him onloan last season 5555555

[lazeeboy]

I can't see Jose fitting in with the FA to be honest, they like yes men.

Personally I would prefer an Englishman, worse way a Brit. Shearer could be interesting.

Oh and Scott learnt all he knows from my Charlton, we had him onloan last season 5555555

shearer would be good ,has all the badges ,not long out of the game ,look at germany took klinsman ,never managed ,dont for get croatia there manager never managed before ,they take chances at the f.a ,the whole of england would back shearer for sure .

[JacknDanny]

I can't see Jose fitting in with the FA to be honest, they like yes men.

Personally I would prefer an Englishman, worse way a Brit. Shearer could be interesting.

Oh and Scott learnt all he knows from my Charlton, we had him onloan last season 5555555

I agree.

I think Mourinho is a great manager, but he has stated that he thinks a National team manager should be a National from that country, and I totally agree.

The only problem is that we are short of choices!!

Alladyce hasnt reallydone anything, nor has Curbishley. Coppell likewise.

Pearce still learning the ropes.

Shearer, totally inexperienced, but I think I would give him a shot with Venables and Robson (Bobby NOT Bryan ) as his mentors in the background!

Whoever they pick it could not get any worse than what has developed under McClaren

[LeungKen]

.

"Taxi fo McClaren"................Taxi !..Make the Bu99er take the Bus.

[keddy]

I can't see Jose fitting in with the FA to be honest, they like yes men.

Personally I would prefer an Englishman, worse way a Brit. Shearer could be interesting.

Oh and Scott learnt all he knows from my Charlton, we had him onloan last season 5555555

I agree.

I think Mourinho is a great manager, but he has stated that he thinks a National team manager should be a National from that country, and I totally agree.

The only problem is that we are short of choices!!

Alladyce hasnt reallydone anything, nor has Curbishley. Coppell likewise.

Pearce still learning the ropes.

Shearer, totally inexperienced, but I think I would give him a shot with Venables and Robson (Bobby NOT Bryan ) as his mentors in the background!

Whoever they pick it could not get any worse than what has developed under McClaren

I would give it to Harry Redknapp -a good track record with average/inconsistant /underachieving players and he would certainly be better than the miserable McClaren at the press conferences. Alan Shearer- no where near ready/proven/able to speak English . Whoever gets it needs the skin of a rhino to live with the bloody media

[mrtoad]

If It was my choice, I'd go for Mourhnio, but I just can't see the FA putting up with him, as he is far to outspoken. If they really take themselves seriously then he is the man.

Alan Shearer, would be interesting, but he was hardly an inspirational Captain for England, and to put it quite bluntly, I don't reckon he'd like the flack that flies with this. Afterall, he stuck himself where he was worshipped (Newcastle) and one wonders if he likes being the big fish in the small pond? Okay, he's got his coaching badges, but so does McClown. There is a little more to managing the England team than just coaching.

Now, some may not like this, but don't rule Klinsmann out. He had a very succesful spell playing in England, and has plenty of admirers around the country. He did a good job with Germany, blooding younger platers, and took them from pretty ordinary to a good side in the space of a couple of years. The only problem is that he wont take the FA bullshite.

We've now wasted 18 months with McClown, and to be honest it is imperative at this stage to get a proven coach in, England do not have the luxury of blooding a novice manager like Germany had the other year, and the fans demand success.

I want Mourhinio, I think we will end up with Shearer and another 4 wasted years. I hope I'm wrong, as I really hope that we can get this sorted out.

BTW, as much as McClown is bad, there are a number of so called established players who should be taking a long hard look at themselves in the mirror this morning.

[Tatler]

Lets stir it up here by saying the new manger might be ' Alex McLeish' He didn't do too badly for the Scots!! What are the odd's on that??

[mrtoad]

Lets stir it up here by saying the new manger might be ' Alex McLeish' He didn't do too badly for the Scots!! What are the odd's on that??

Zero

[EastSaxCol]

Taxi for Barwick

Who appointed McClaren when everyone knew that he wasn't up to it, who no one wanted ? Let's not forget where the blame should ultimately lay as the morons lead by Barwick fork-out another 2.5 million handshake. At least Sven would have got us past the qualifiers.

Klinsmann for manager !

[mrtoad]

Taxi for Barwick

Who appointed McClaren when everyone knew that he wasn't up to it, who no one wanted ? Let's not forget where the blame should ultimately lay as the morons lead by Barwick fork-out another 2.5 million handshake. At least Sven would have got us past the qualifiers.

Klinsmann for manager !

Have to agree Barprick has to go too. Time for a real clear out. The only problem is, that those who are to blame are those that make all the decisions. I can't see them sacking themselves. There will be a sacraficila Lamb, but it won't be one of the top suits.

[chavy]

Chavy, some of thos on my list were more in jest. You seriously think I would want Souness.

I dunno mate plenty of jokers in the past have employed him

Jose (The Special One) Mourihnio would have my betting money.

[mrtoad]

MINGING IN THE RAIN

STEVEN HOWARD - Chief sports writer

The Sun.

THERE have been some black nights in the history of English football. But this, surely, was the darkest of them all.

But there was something even worse than the calamitous performance of the players out on the pitch.

It was the sight of Steve McClaren sheltering under an umbrella on the touchline.

The man with the sparkling smile and LA tan obviously thought he was Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain.

He should have been out there in his shirtsleeves, water pouring down his face, arms and veins pumping, meeting it head on.

Instead, while everyone else braved the elements, he was making sure what remains of his barnet didn’t get wet.

Enormity of failure

It just about said everything you need to know about his lamentable 15 months in charge.

A reign which, thankfully, ended within an hour of the final whistle as the true enormity of failure to qualify for Euro 2008 finally hit the suits at the FA.

All that remains is the application of the Soho Square rubber stamp this morning.

Yet even while the decision was being made, McClaren was still insisting he had something to offer English football.

Unlike Kevin Keegan who had the guts to quit admitting he could no longer motivate his players, McClaren continued to prove himself the master of self-deception refusing to believe what he had seen.

Sure, we had the odd doubt going into this Euro 2008 decider. But no one in the 90,000 crowd could have imagined it was going to be as truly awful as this.

Not even Slaven Bilic, his players and the other 10,000 Croatians in the crowd.

This really was the greatest embarrassment any of us could recall. And there have been a few. Not even the 1-0 defeat by Northern Ireland in Belfast under Sven Goran Eriksson was quite as soul-destroying as this.

Yes, there was the fightback from 2-0 down.

The first goal was a highly fortunate penalty converted by Frank Lampard — the second enormous stroke of luck inside four days after Israel’s improbable victory over Russia.

Then came the equaliser, a lovely weighted ball from substitute David Beckham thrashed home by Peter Crouch.

Unbelievable, we all thought. How had England got away with it? How on earth were they at Euro 2008?

Except they weren’t. With 13 minutes to go, substitute Mladen Petric fired a shot across Scott Carson from 20 yards and the nightmare was back.

And so it stayed until the final whistle, at which many of the England players — who once again had so grotesquely underperformed — slumped to the ground, heads in hands.

A minute or so later, Beckham was the last to leave the Wembley pitch. Perhaps, for the final time. But never at any point did England deserve to make it through.

Yes, it was a huge comeback as long as it lasted but Croatia were always far the better team. Streets ahead, in fact.

They knew how to run with the ball, how to pass it, how to make space for themselves — and how to entertain.

England, in comparison, were sluggish, lacked inspiration and had apparently only been introduced to one another in the tunnel.

So much for McClaren’s pre-match boast when he said: “The reason we have done so well in the second half of the campaign is because we have played as a team.”

Done so well? Words as hollow and empty as the McClaren coaching manual. But a master class in bombast and self-deception.

Yes, they were without an entire defence and both Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.

In the old days, there was sufficient depth to English football to overcome situations like this. Now, with foreign players clogging up the Premier League, the cupboard is as good as bare.

But that still doesn’t account for the lack of fight, the lack of application, panic stations at the back and some excruciating individual performances from Steven Gerrard, Wayne Bridge and Carson.

Most depressingly comical of all was that England, having been offered one last chance to qualify for Euro 2008, should still manage to cock it up after placing one foot in the finals.

This was supposed to be the night when we got off the hook.

Instead, the corpse of English football was left hanging from it.

Death warrant

Now McClaren has gone. His final record reads played 18, won nine, drawn four and lost five. That is rank by any standards.

For an England manager, it is a death warrant.

Even if England had somehow scrambled through, there was already sufficient cause to dispense with the services of an uninspiring coach who had overseen the dropping of eight points out of nine in trips to Zagreb, Tel Aviv and Moscow.

I doubted both McClaren’s qualifications and ability to do the job from the day he was appointed.

On top of that, he seemed too keen and too clever by half.

And so it has proved after a campaign in which he has made one mistake after another.

The lowest points had been the employment of a suicidal back three in Croatia; the alienation of Jamie Carragher by denying the Liverpool man the starts he thought he deserved; the deployment of Joleon Lescott at left-back against Russia; and most recently risking Michael Owen in a meaningless friendly against Austria last Friday.

Last night came yet one more: Dropping Paul Robinson.

McClaren had said of his controversial decision to bring in Carson: “There is a risk in everything. Experience can be invaluable but so can the innocence of youth.”

Never has youth looked so innocent and callow as the 22-year-old Aston Villa keeper as he failed to get his body behind Niko Kranjcar’s shot as it bounced in front of him and cannoned into the net.

It was far worse than Robinson’s airshot in Zagreb. Even worse than David Seaman’s failure to gather Didi Hamann’s 30-yard effort for Germany that closed down the old Wembley.

Then came the second goal that exploded McClaren’s bragging about team ethic.

A four-man move bypassed England’s midfield and ended with Eduardo threading a pass in between Sol Campbell and Lescott for Ivica Olic to knock home the second goal — while Bridge played the Croatia striker onside.

Total and utter confusion. A suitable epitaph for the McClaren era.

[Amethyst]

France Missed the World Cup in 1994 but they came back years later to win it. So i think England will have a chance in the future to win something. For now this is a lesson to all big wages players. Dont think that you get big $$$$ and you can qualify easily .

A lesson to be learnt

But If Brazil dont qialify for the world cup then is not consider a world cup lol

[Jockstar]

Capello keen on England position

Capello has been extremely successful in his career

Former Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello has said he would be interested in the England manager's job.

Steve McClaren was sacked after England's 3-2 defeat by Croatia cost them a place at the Euro 2008 finals.

And Capello, who has won league titles with Real, AC Milan and Roma, said: "It would be a beautiful challenge. I am the right age."

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill and former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho are other potential contenders for the job.

O'Neill has been installed as the bookies' favourite but he was rejected by the FA after interviewing for the role before McClaren's appointment and may be reluctant to put himself in the frame again.

Mourinho, meanwhile, has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in September following a dispute with Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

The Portuguese has the credentials to be successful, after winning back-to-back Premier League titles with Chelsea a season after clinching the Champions League with Porto, but may prefer club management to the international arena.

606: DEBATE

Who do you want to be England manager?

Capello is so far the only potential candidate to publicly declare an interest in coaching England.

The 61-year-old was sacked by Real at the end of last season despite winning the Spanish title and he is available as he is now working as a commentator for Italian television.

However, Capello might prove to be a controversial choice to succeed McClaren, as his many successes on the pitch have been marred by some unsavoury episodes.

He led Roma to the title in 2001 - their first major honour in a decade - but then became embroiled in a dispute with club captain Francesco Totti, was accused of moving on key players and ended his spell at Roma with the club in danger of relegation.

Capello them became Juventus boss and led them to league titles in 2005 and 2006, but the club was stripped of their trophies because of their involvement in a match-fixing scandal.

Following that, Capello resigned as Juventus manager and joined Real Madrid for a second spell, where we again claimed the Spanish title in 2007.

But the success did not stop Capello from being dismissed by the Spanish giants, who were unhappy with his defensive style of play.

[mrtoad]

McClaren sacked as England coach

McClaren's England finished third in the Euro 2008 qualifying table

Steve McClaren has been sacked as England coach following his side's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

Assistant coach Terry Venables has also lost his job in what the Football Association said was a unanimous decision by its board.

The FA brought a swift end to McClaren's 18-month reign as England's head coach at an emergency meeting.

McClaren's position had become untenable after the 3-2 defeat to Croatia at Wembley on Wednesday.

FA chairman Geoff Thompson said: "Like every England fan, we are all bitterly disappointed that we have failed to qualify for Euro 2008, and I know Steve feels that disappointment more than anyone.

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

"I would like to thank Steve for the work he has done since taking on the position last summer. His commitment to the job could not be questioned and I wish him the best for the future.

"The recruitment process for the new coach begins now and we will do everything to get the right man for the job."

McClaren, 46, who had a four-year deal, is expected to be paid more than £2m in compensation and ex-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and Martin O'Neill are the bookies favourite to succeed him.

The FA has plenty of time to search for a replacement with the next scheduled fixture a friendly in France at the end of March.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick confirmed that nationality would not be an issue as he leads the search to find McClaren's successor.

Barwick also admitted that errors were made in the selection process when McClaren, who had just 18 games in charge, the shortest tenure of any England coach, was appointed in May 2006.

Former Middlesbrough boss McClaren admitted before the Croatia match that he would "take responsibility" if England failed to reach the European Championship finals in Austria and Switzerland.

The FA took action to dismiss McClaren ahead of the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.

England's failure to reach a major tournament for the first time since the 1994 World Cup finals will cost the FA at least £8m in lost revenues.

Thompson promised the FA would conduct a "root and branch" review of the England team set-up, and would be led by chief executive Brian Barwick and would begin with immediate effect.

And there the last sentence says it all. Non football people being put in charge of recruiting a football manager. Would you have a dustman recruting Doctors at a hospital? The answear's no. Expect more buffonery from the FA, as they enjoy their freebie jaunts and endless bowls of gravy as they go to all corners of ther globe looking for the right candidate.

[mrbojangles]

Jose (The Special One) Mourihnio would have my betting money.

I like Jose but the only problem is, he likes foreign players and if he was to manage England, he would only be able to pick, erm.....English players

[mrtoad]

Jose (The Special One) Mourihnio would have my betting money.

I like Jose but the only problem is, he likes foreign players and if he was to manage England, he would only be able to pick, erm.....English players

Didn't stop Rep of Ireland. With all these immigrants in the UK therse days, there must be some tenious links that can be exploited to recruit foreign players.

[mrtoad]

According to reports Birmingham want McCleish as manager. Now us good natured England fans can all do something together for once. I suggest we collect a nice large Taxi fee and send our Ex- Scottish sounding manager north of the border to take over the reigns there.

As they say, we should always help our neighbours.

[scousemouse]

According to reports Birmingham want McCleish as manager. Now us good natured England fans can all do something together for once. I suggest we collect a nice large Taxi fee and send our Ex- Scottish sounding manager north of the border to take over the reigns there.

As they say, we should always help our neighbours.

And he can take El Tel with him

[mrtoad]

According to reports Birmingham want McCleish as manager. Now us good natured England fans can all do something together for once. I suggest we collect a nice large Taxi fee and send our Ex- Scottish sounding manager north of the border to take over the reigns there.

As they say, we should always help our neighbours.

And he can take El Tel with him

Just for good measure they can have Gordon Brown and Brian Barprick as well. Now, thats what you call a good tool kit.

[mrtoad]

Where it went wrong for McClaren

By Phil McNulty - BBC

Chief football writer

The Football Association has drawn a very thick line under Steve McClaren's reign of error following England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

When England needed inspiration from the sidelines, all they got was a man keeping his hair dry with a brolly

The under-whelming, expensive, spin-driven reign of a man promoted out of his depth to fatally guide England's football fortunes ended on Thursday when the FA board handed him his P45.

From day one, it was an appointment that had the pungent smell of compromise and eventual failure about it.

McClaren was Sven-Goran Eriksson's henchman in the under-achieving years of what we now know to be the laughingly-labelled "Golden Generation" of English talent.

The hand of McClaren was on the body of England's failures at major tournaments - so he was never the man to succeed the Swede.

And yet, with a curious mixture of accident and very little design, he breezed into London as England's new coach on 4 May last year.

Chief executive Brian Barwick drew mockery when he proclaimed he had landed his first choice, particularly after a very public courtship of Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had ended in an equally public rejection.

It was an inauspicious start for a man very few actually felt was right for the post.

McClaren did not distinguish himself at Middlesbrough, even being pelted with a season ticket by a supporter despite subsequently leading them to the Uefa Cup final, where they were thrashed by Sevilla.

No tears were shed on Teesside when he left, but grumbles were heard when it was suggested Martin O'Neill's failure to produce a dazzling power-point presentation or show due deference to potential employers had ruled out the most obvious candidate to go before the FA.

McClaren was never liked by English supporters, and even his appointment of Terry Venables as right-hand man smacked of an attempt to get a few media pals onside rather than a neat managerial fit.

He was too much style and not enough substance. He did not enjoy a good public image, with too many syrupy pre-rehearsed soundbites and a well-manufactured smile that was not well received.

Even in his last hours, he "inspired" England's last-ditch bid to reach Euro 2008 at Wembley from underneath an FA umbrella, an enduringly stupid image that will haunt him for a very long time.

When England needed inspiration from the sidelines, all they got was a man keeping his hair dry with a brolly.

Barwick insisted McClaren was the FA's first choice

After an acceptable start the cracks started to show with a disappointing goalless draw at home to Macedonia, followed a calamitous tactical shift to 3-5-2 in Croatia that led to confusion and a 2-0 defeat.

He was unable to make England's talented but unbalanced midfield work, with Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard unable to deliver, with only the introduction of Gareth Barry giving hope for a while.

England scraped a 3-0 win against Andorra in Barcelona, but the actual performance was right down there with the worst in recent memory.

There was a run of wins, with a 3-0 beating of Russia the highlight, but McClaren's England bandwagon never truly gathered momentum.

The whole campaign had a stutter and stop-start feel about it that meant McClaren rarely presented a convincing case that he was a long-term bet for the job.

And then there was the David Beckham selection hokey-cokey. From showpiece axing to eventual recall.

In-out-in-out - all the way out of Euro 2008.

McClaren did suffer ill-fortune with injuries, the kind which ruled out John Terry, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen from the final game.

And being unlucky was another problem McClaren did not need among the others he brought on himself.

McClaren's final 4-5-1 format for his last defeat against Croatia was not necessarily a bad option, but it was applied in a naïve, almost Neanderthal manner which suggested little thought had been given to the game plan.

Peter Crouch was fed a constant diet of aimless long balls in that nightmarish first 45 minutes, when the formation could have produced much more imagination if McClaren had chosen to suggest it.

Instead of looking like they had received a measured message from their leader, England looked scared, negative, basic, desperate - and horribly lacking in technique compared to Croatia.

McClaren's big goalkeeping call of replacing Paul Robinson with Scott Carson went badly wrong after only eight minutes when the youngster made an amateurish hash of dealing with Nico Kranjcar's long-range shot and England were on the road to ruin.

The FA, for its part, also needs serious censure for settling for second-best and making what actually was an appointment of convenience and compromise rather than quality.

Its top brass can reflect on that at their leisure today and all through next summer as they contemplate the riches they miss out on as soccer's showpiece takes place without them.

And also while they negotiate what will presumably be a handsome pay-off for the so-called "first choice" coach.

For McClaren, we can reserve one of his favourites phrases - "we move on" - as a parting shot.

And the FA has made sure it has done so.

A pretty accurate piece in my opininon, which shows what a complate farce the whole thing was from the start.

I still beleive that we have the players to perform better, but like all orchestras you have to have a top conductor, and we haven't had one for a long time.