FOOTBALL Association chief executive Brian Barwick has called for patience as he starts the process of finding the right man to fill the "very tough job" of new England manager.
The FA board moved swiftly yesterday to sack both Steve McClaren and assistant Terry Venables in the wake of the failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
A full "root and branch examination" of the whole England senior team set-up is to be conducted as
the nation struggles to come to terms with missing the first major international tournament in more than a decade.
Just who will head up the England team by the time their next fixture comes around - likely to be against Euro 2008 joint-hosts Switzerland in February - remains subject for speculation, with a caretaker appointment the most likely immediate outcome.
Bookmakers have installed former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as the early favourite for the job on a permanent basis, with Barwick revealing this time around, there would be no clamour for the role to necessarily be filled by an Englishman.
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is another leading candidate, while Fabio Capello has expressed an interest, but Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has been quick to rule himself out.
With an FA delegation set to head out to South Africa today for this weekend's 2010 World Cup qualifying draw, Barwick is all to aware that timing is everything. "I am asking for a little bit of patience at the moment," he said. "I think the fact I will be given the opportunity to lead from the front on this is significant. We have got to get the right person."
Despite England's clear problems on the pitch, there has as yet been no signal of changes within the board at FA headquarters.
Many fans have lost confidence in the administration, asking why should the same incumbents be trusted to get it right this time having failed so miserably in the last appointment?
Manchester United chief executive David Gill replaced Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein on the FA board last summer, and believes things are moving in the right direction behind the scenes at Soho Square.
Gill said: "I am new to it but you just have to look at how the board has worked and what progress has been made over the last year - whether it be the new Wembley, the new TV deal or the sponsorship arrangements.
"Progress is being made."
The full article contains 414 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
