Here we go again. Eighteen months on from Steve McClaren’s controversial appointment the English FA are in the market for a new coach.
We’d like your views on who they should pick. Martin O’Neill is being talked up in the English media, but according to a Reuters poll the fans’ favourite would be Jose Mourinho. Then again, as my colleague Mark Meadows notes below, Fabio Capello is so far the only man to have expressed an interest.
A brief look at the expected candidates:
Martin O’Neill: The charismatic Northern Irishman won the League Cup twice with Leicester City in 1997 and 2000 before transferring to Celtic, where he won seven trophies in five years. He was interviewed by the FA last time around but has attempted to distance himself from the position this time around saying he has unfinished work with Aston Villa.
Jose Mourinho: The fans’ choice, if you believe the Reuters poll. Heavily linked with Valencia before Ronald Koeman took charge, the Portuguese coach has kept a surprisingly low profile since his Chelsea departure in September.
Alan Shearer: No experience? No problem. Former Newcastle United and England striker Shearer has been offering his words of wisdom from the television studios, but following the success of other novice coaches Klinsmann and Van Basten the FA may decide no experience is a template for success. Irish fans who witnessed Steve Staunton mastermind a last minute 2-1 victory over San Marino and a 5-2 defeat to Cyprus might disagree, of course.
Luiz Felipe Scolari: Big Phil was all set to take charge 18 months ago but a change of heart meant the Brazilian stayed on with Portugal and oversaw a third consecutive victory over England at a major tournament. Could the FA persuade Scolari that media intrusion, which the Brazilian cited as a reason for not accepting the role previously, is not that bad?
Mark Meadows adds:
“It would be a beautiful challenge. I am the right age,” the 61-year-old Fabio Capello said, hours before Steve McClaren was sacked for failing to guide England to Euro 2008. No one else in club football has credentials like Capello, who has won a title at all four teams he has worked for. He is also available after being dismissed by Real at the end of last season for being too defensive, despite winning the championship. Right now most England fans wouldn’t care about performances as long as they delivered results.
His compatriot and fellow deft tactician Marcello Lippi is also out of work and has the best international pedigree around after leading a modest Italy side to World Cup glory last year.
If the FA want to be truly daring, perhaps they should go for Juergen Klinsmann. Erik Kirschbaum argues the case for Klinsi in a separate blog below, but if you want to make comments on the German please come back here to do it.
PHOTO: A bookmaker offers odds on the next England football manager outside the FA headquarters in London. REUTERS/Stephen Hird
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[...] papers and should England suffer a third consecutive defeat by Croatia, the team that haunted their doomed attempt to qualify for Euro 2008, all hell will break [...]
- Posted by Capello back in the England spotlight : Soccer News[...] papers and should England suffer a third consecutive defeat by Croatia, the team that haunted their doomed attempt to qualify for Euro 2008, all hell will break [...]
- Posted by Capello back in the England spotlight | TotalClubFootballWhat offering the job to someone who essentially really wants it, that man is Harry Redknapp.
- Posted by Dean MortonExperience of assembling very effecient teams from shrewd low key signings in the Premier League(no mean feat)-CHECK.
Respect throughout the English game-CHECK
Passionate and patriotic-CHECK.
Look no futher than this man with Stuart Pearce as his assistant to make England once again a true force in World football.The continity of McClaren after Sven was a great idea in theory but importantly the man taking the mantle has for the job.With Pearce being number two and younger than Redknapp he would be the ideal replacement when Redknapps time had run.
The ideal formula of England’s bright future for many years two come in my humble opinion.
Mc Claren (2nd choice Steve) should never have been chosen in the 1st place only Venables has the knowledge and experience to mould a team why the FA ever sacked him heaven only knows!! the logical choice is Martin o Neil he is a great motivator very shrewd and can get the best of out his players who always seem to rise to the occasion for him he will bring the pride back to wearing the 3 lions they will emulate the class of 66 who had the never say die attitude and would have died for their country losing a game was unheard of and martin can and will make us great again his work at Celtic Leicester and now Villa shows the class and quality of the man and he is British!! Paul jewel would be my 2nd choice but he has had only limited experience needs another few years working in the premiership before he’s ready!! Now after Sven I believe that we don’t need another foreign coach as AW says correctly the English team should be coached and managed by an English or British guy
- Posted by gooner4everI think O’Neill would be a good choice,he’s putting together a good team at Villa with the limited funds available to him.Maybe he is the right man to show the premadonnas like Lampard and company that its an honor to play for your country not your right.It seems that to many players dont have the passion to represent ENGLAND. Could this be because they are overpaid overated.We seem to have lost the Nobby Stiles and Alan Balls who would give everything every game,we need players with a pride and a heart to represent us and a manager who will drop anyone from the squad that does not have it.People keep saying O’Neill is not a great manager but think back what had Sir Alf Ramsey achieved before 1966.
- Posted by MikeHe picked players who would die for thier country.
Firstly… it cant be Klinsmann, the England fans would never accept a German manager, plus he found the German media hard to deal with, he couldn’t cope with it in England.
- Posted by PlumbeyIm not really sure about Lippi or Capello either. They both had great CV’s but the language barrier would be the first problem plus how many Italian managers have ever really done well outside of Italy?
No, i think its a three horse race at the minute.
O’Neill, Mourinho and Shearer.
O’Neill is a good manager… i wouldn’t say he is a great manager, but he does have a knack of getting the best out of his players, and with all the talent we have, O’Neill could be just the man for the job.
Mourinho has been called the peoples choice, now im not sure thats true. Even after the McClaren fiasco there is still a big call for an English manager. I think mourinho would do a good job as the England boss but i also think he prefers to be in the thick of things, international management has large gaps in the season and perhaps Jose would get bored without the action. I also have an suspition that he is waiting for a big Serie A job.
AC Milan not haveing the best season……
To Mr Shearer then, inexperenced, young but also eager and hungry for his country to do well.
Obviously the inexperence is an issue but take a look at Klinsmann and Van Basten, they saved their countries. Shearer would be, i believe, a no-nonsence passionate manager. Perhaps he could remind our players what it means to put on those three loins as he did himself once upon a good time ago…
Klinsmann’s the obvious choice. His perfect mixture of rigorous and expert training, fun, joie de vivre, intelligence, and pure, unbridled love of the game would inspire the English to play the kind of entertaining football they were born to play - finally a style that corresponds to the national character. The chances of the selectors seeing this are zilch, as can be seen by their last appointment and their decision to sack Eriksson for the sins of the British media.
- Posted by AnthMan Ray I agree with you - I’ve too have always felt O’Neil is a little overrated. I don’t think he is a poor manager, but I wouldn’t be over the moon if he was appointed head coach of our national side.
I’m unsure about Klinsmann, obviously as has been said there is always the fact that a German would be controlling the England side (not that that should matter, obviously)!
I personally am hoping Mourinho will change his mind - hasn’t he said he won’t take it? I have said in another post, I feel the players would play for him. They need someone who they respect and fear - someone unlike Steve ‘Mr. Charisma’ McClaren.
Big Phil would also be a good appointment, but didn’t he refuse to take it last time because of the press? Hundreds of them turned up outside his house and he changed his mind. I wonder if this would still affect his decision, if there is any truth in it of course.
- Posted by Football Betting Boy