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England were embarrassed at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, exiting the competition in the group stages after defeats to Italy and Uruguay, and then suffered humiliation at Euro 2016 after being dumped out of the tournament in France by minnows Iceland.

But could it have been a different story for England had they accepted the call from a certain Pep Guardiola in 2012?

The Catalan coach had just entered into a 12-month sabbatical following four exhausting years as the head coach of Barcelona but was apparently interested in the prospect of becoming England manager - for some reason.

Clough all over again

We ceased to be a major football nation 45 years ago, so this question really is academic.

Bandying around the names of top international managers is ridiculous - why give up a job at a top club to manage a middling tier national team?

We'd be better off getting one of the lesser-known European coaches who's worked with some of the up and coming African sides, or maybe the Icelandic coach? All would be well-practised at getting the best out of modestly-talented groups of players and wouldn't come with any Premier League baggage.

Really don't care about England anymore. Football is GTFC for me.

I've followed England away in the past but I stopped giving a excrement when Rio Ferdinand was questioned at the airport, he was going on his holiday immediately after another early World Cup exit.

The reporter asked him if he had a comment to make on his teams shambolic performance at the World Cup, when he sarcastically replied " what World Cup" it's not all but when the players don't even give a excrement what's the point.

Arsene Wenger contract at arsenal runs out this year, he will find support from within the FA ranks I am sure, and with Gareth Southgate only being installed for the next 4 qualifying games could be a possibility? Not suggesting he would be my first choice but open for discussion as home grown candidates aren't exactly standing out at present.
I do expect southgate after 4 successful games to be offered it permanently though.

Southgate might as well be given the chance

Neil Woods could win that qualifying group before going out in the first/second round so does it even matter?

They will play safe and give it to Southgate

Quoted from promotion plaice

England were embarrassed at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, exiting the competition in the group stages after defeats to Italy and Uruguay, and then suffered humiliation at Euro 2016 after being dumped out of the tournament in France by minnows Iceland.

But could it have been a different story for England had they accepted the call from a certain Pep Guardiola in 2012?

The Catalan coach had just entered into a 12-month sabbatical following four exhausting years as the head coach of Barcelona but was apparently interested in the prospect of becoming England manager - for some reason.

Clough all over again

Both of them would have failed. Guardiola is a club manager, needs day to day contact with players and at that time had absolutely no experience of England or English players. Still hasn't got a lot.. Clough needed the day to day too but his big gob would have got him the sack very fast anyway.

not hoddle, the mans a disgrace

Quoted from supertown

They will play safe and give it to Southgate

I think so too and they will be wrong. He's too soft. He's grown up in the caring "man management" mould, been on all the right courses, puts his arm round the shoulder .......

We need a bar steward. That's one reason I'm disappointed in Allardyce. I did think he had that quality about him of making players grown up and take responsibility. We need someone to do that and tell the little prima donnas what's what. "Play as well for me as you do for your club or you are out ..... hear me Sterling?"

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I think so too and they will be wrong. He's too soft. He's grown up in the caring "man management" mould, been on all the right courses, puts his arm round the shoulder .......

We need a bar steward. That's one reason I'm disappointed in Allardyce. I did think he had that quality about him of making players grown up and take responsibility. We need someone to do that and tell the little prima donnas what's what. "Play as well for me as you do for your club or you are out ..... hear me Sterling?"

Do you really think that will work with todays multi millionaire prima donna's?

International football for England is dead, players clearly dont care and more and more fans have the same attitude. Many of here are only interested in Town and it is the same around the country.

Add the ruling bodies inability to have any degree of control and that is why (IMO ;) )

There's only one man who can save the nation now. Steve "Unfinished Business" McClaren.

Quoted from MeanwoodMariner

There's only one man who can save the nation now. Steve "Unfinished Business" McClaren.

;D

You mean the man who single handedly demolished the umbrella manufacturing industry?

On the plus side - nobody will offer a bung to someone who has nothing to offer in return. ;)

It does not matter who gets the job,

Its the players who can not perform at the finals that's the problem.

We will win the next 3 easy games then draw with Spain,

So Southgate will get the job.

Half the challenge will be finding somebody who wants it. After Roy was sacked Southgate categorically stated he wasn't ready and didn't want it.

Quoted from Abdul19

Neil Woods could win that qualifying group before going out in the first/second round so does it even matter?

Woods no good for tournament football...it took him about 23 games to get a win

Whoever it is I hope he is English. It doesn't matter to me if there are better foreign coaches available , the main criteria should be that he has English credentials ( just like the payers). When Alf Ramsey was appointed England manager he had never managed a top flight team until he took Ipswich into the First Division and then for less than 2 seasons.

Quoted from rancido

Whoever it is I hope he is English. It doesn't matter to me if there are better foreign coaches available , the main criteria should be that he has English credentials ( just like the payers). When Alf Ramsey was appointed England manager he had never managed a top flight team until he took Ipswich into the First Division and then for less than 2 seasons.

entirely agree.

Quoted from moosey_club

Woods no good for tournament football...it took him about 23 games to get a win

Worked alright for Portugal this summer ;)

Wenger saying he is open to the England job "one day". For me, the problem with managers like Wenger is that they just don't have enough time to work with the players and instill their methods on the team. That's why i thought Allardyce was a good choice as someone who would keep it simple and play to our strengths, rather than someone who will try and out-football the better sides.

Am I alone in not being bothered - fed up of broken promises and early exits?

Quoted from acko338

Am I alone in not being bothered - fed up of broken promises and early exits?

You should be acko118 - You are not alone. We ARE a loan! ;D

We are all more than a bit cheesed with the FA, with the players and the managers since 1996 I guess. The flop in the tournaments was acceptable if it was the semis or even the quarters but now we don't look as though we could beat a blind school team.

Having said that, after the 1962 world cup nobody actually rated Ramsey's appointment and until the quarter final against Argentina there was not much interest or optimism about the team's chances. It was only in that game and the Portugal game that things started to come together for the fans.

Which is why I thought Allardyce was a good choice. He would keep things simple and manage the players like Jack Charlton did with Eire and play to the players' strengths. I can't see someone like Southgate doing that, he'd be too European in his approach and too soft with the players. He's already told Rooney he's captain for the next two games when the bloke is struggling with the realisation he isn't even good enough to play for his club any more.

Some suggestions in the media -

Roberto Mancini

Touted as one of the favourites by many bookies, Mancini has the experience of English football that the governing body seem to crave so dearly. The Italian led Manchester City to their historic Premier League title in 2012, and has since returned to Italy – via Turkey – to manage Inter Milan for the second time.

As a manager, Mancini produces sides that are well structured, but he is unafraid of making changes to alter a game. He brings plans into a match, knowing he has cards to play in certain scenarios. For England this would be beneficial. Able to use the depth of resources currently available, he would utilise the whole of the squad effectively.

Mancini has experience in managing some of the game’s more challenging characters, which should make dealing with the uncomfortable Wayne Rooney issue a doddle.

Marcelo Bielsa

It is hard to imagine the Football Association and Marcelo Bielsa getting along too well. Whether it would work or not is anyone’s guess, but it would be fun finding out.

One of the game’s tactical revolutionaries, Bielsa would be a shock to the rigid English game. The Argentine is currently out of work, too, making an appointment potentially painless. It is a fantasy for many of Bielsa’s fans and it would take quite a change of heart from the FA.

A man that has been labelled the ‘best manager in the world’ by Pep Guardiola and lists some of the game’s greatest as his disciples, Bielsa is far more than an adventurous tactician. He could bring a new understanding of the game to England and we would all be better off for his marathon press conferences.

Manuel Pellegrini

Since leaving Manchester City last summer, Pellegrini has been managing Chinese side, Hebei China Fortune. Like the other two candidates on this list, Pellegrini is an immensely knowledgeable and experienced manager. His career as a gaffer began in 1988, with spells on three different continents leading him to periods at both Man City and Real Madrid.

Having spent three seasons in the Premier League, Pellegrini would be able to go straight into management without a period learning about the players available to him. The natural understanding of what he would want from each individual still takes time, but he would have a potential advantage over others that he has first-hand experience of these players.

English football needs a calm leader as claims of corruption spread across the leagues, Pellegrini fits the bill perfectly.