FA Go for English, Rather Than The Best

Newton's third law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

While the great physicist is not known to have been a football fan he would surely have approved of the Football Association's religious devotion to his theory. 'You cannae change the laws of physics, capt'n' - nor apparently the blinked thinking of the FA, who are on the verge of appointing an under-qualified manager simply because he is English.

The Association’s thinking when appointing a new English manager has always been affected by the mood of the nation with regards to the incumbent. Glenn Hoddle, the seemingly PR friendly bright young thing, replaced the corrupt Terry Venables. Kevin Keegan, the man with good, honest passion as his middle name, replaced the reserved, ultimately perverse Hoddle. And Sven Goran Eriksson, the thinking man's coach, was absolutely the opposite of heart-on-his-sleeve Keegan. Action, reaction.

Yet again the pattern repeats itself with the appointment of Steve McClaren, the former Manchester United coach turned Middlesboro manager. McClaren is prepared to hug the touchline, gesticulating wildly while Sven was so heavily criticised in the press for refusing to do precisely that. More importantly, McClaren offers the very thing that Eriksson cannot - his Englishness. It would seem that far from appointing the best, the FA prefers to appoint the most English.

Reviewing the shortlisted six candidates for the job of England national manager it becomes apparent that the criteria for appointment was little to do with McClaren's football CV - skillset, results, achievements.

Indeed, on the face of it McClaren's five major opponents for the job would appear to be more plausible appointees:

• Louis Filipe Scolari: celebrated winner of World Cup 2002 with Brazil. Globally respected and admired. Experienced, confident, and highly affable with the media. The Brazilian coach has developed Portugal into a fine team that qualified for World Cup 2006 with panache. Surely the ideal candidate and one who desperately wants the job. One of the few men in world football management whom the English FA should crawl on bended knee to take on the challenge. FA Verdict: not English enough

• Guus Hiddink: The current manager of PSV Eindhoven who has consistently developed teams that equal more than the sum of its parts. As part-time coach of the Australian national team he has guided the Aussies to the World Cup for the first time in 32 years. A truly outstanding achievement. He has also coached at the very highest club level with Real Madrid, proving he understands the pressures that would go with becoming England's manager. FA Verdict: not English enough.

• Martin O'Neill: the respected and liked former Celtic and Leicester manager who turned the hoops fortunes around. He has a track record of over achieving with limited resources and getting the best out of a players. In taking Celtic to a UEFA cup final, only to unluckily lose to Jose Mourinho's Porto, O'Neill also proved that he can live with the best in the business. He would be a popular and effective manager who would command an excellent relationship with the media. FA Verdict: not English enough.

• Alan Curbishley: the Charlton man has performed an admirable job at Charlton with little or no money. He is well liked by his peers and at Charlton gets on well with a less-than-hostile media. Expectations at the South London club are low of course and as such he can hardly fail. For their sustained position in the Premiership Curbishley deserves credit but his credentials for the England manager’s post is harmed by the fact that he has no European or international experience to draw upon, and crucially has never managed superstar players before. FA Verdict: too inexperienced.

• Sam Allardyce: the inspirational Bolton manager has transformed a regional club into realistic contenders for a Champions League place, on very few resources. His team's playing style is ugly but effective and he commands the respect of seasoned players in the dressing room. Allardyce would be safe pair of hands with the team but he is as yet untested at international or European level. He’s also very much his own man – no FA puppet here. FA Verdict: potentially controversial.

While McClaren was known as an innovator at Manchester United he has actually had very little success at management level – a Carling Cup final in 2004, and two semi-finals this season. His teams have been inconsistent with tactics changed almost by the week, and worryingly his judgment of player potential has been called into question by some less than successful, but very expensive purchases.

Moreoever, he has no Champions League experience whatsoever. Despite the millions invested in his team by Chairman Steve Gibson, McClaren is yet to deliver. Does this sound like a man to lead one of the world’s foremost footballing nations?

Yet the FA’s verdict appears to be positive, save for a last minute change of heart. McClaren after all is media friendly and is seemingly unlikely to cause any embarrassment to the FA. Most of all, he is English.

McClaren's appointment is a damning indictment of the little-England mentality that has been allowed to foster within the walls of Soho Square. True, press hostility towards Eriksson has almost certainly been heightened by his nationality – many of the press were critical from the start.

But in fact, major tournaments aside, the Swede’s record is excellent in competitive matches. He has suffering just the two defeats, coming at World Cup 2002 and Euro 2004.

Perhaps the FA’s fourth law should have been appoint the best, no matter his nationality.

The Ranter is the editor of www.unitedrant.co.uk

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