In an announcement of somewhat questionable timing, Fabio Capello has declared that he will not be seeking an extension to his contract as England manager when it expires in 2012. The decision comes as no surprise, with Capello intent on enjoying “life as a pensioner” after the demands and pressures of the England position. Whilst his retirement from the position and from the game entirely is still the best part of two years away, thoughts will immediately turn to his potential successor. So who are the candidates?
As per Sven Goran Eriksson’s pre-agreed departure after the 2006 World Cup, Capello’s decision gives the FA a prolonged period in which to decide upon their preferred candidate. They have already drastically narrowed the search by declaring they want an English successor, although there was some confusion when Adrian Bevington, the managing director of Club England, back tracked somewhat on that and suggesting they were only seeking an “English speaking “ candidate, perhaps prompted by Martin O’Neill’s availability after his departure from Aston Villa.
The limitations that this places on the selection process means that in all likelihood there are only a handful of candidates who can be considered for the position. Within a two year timeframe, there is little chance of any other English manager making the breakthrough in management required to make the shortlist. As such, the FA will be looking to the pool of English managers currently operating in the top tiers of the game. On this basis, the following candidates are likely to be on their radar.
Stuart Pearce
Currently in charge of the under-21 national side and part of Capello’s coaching staff, would provide continuity although perhaps not enough experience. Has a good record with the Under-21s having guided them to a semi-final and final in the last two European Championships.
Roy Hodgson
Has experience of international management after guiding Switzerland to the World Cup and European Championship finals during his four year spell in charge in the 1990s. May be reluctant to leave his position as Liverpool manager however and his thoughts could be turning to retirement in 2012 when he will be 65.
Sam Allardyce
Has proved to be a hit at both Bolton and Blackburn with an ability to make the most out of the players at his disposal. His unsuccessful spell in the more high profile position of Newcastle manager would count against him, as would the direct brand of football that his teams play.
Harry Redknapp
Solid progress at both Bournemouth and West Ham followed by genuine success at Portsmouth and Tottenham (forgetting about his fateful spell at Southampton) makes Redknapp a leading contender. Counting against him, in potentially a big way, is an outstanding case for tax evasion.
Steve Bruce
Proved successful in managerial stints at Birmingham and Wigan, although the jury remains out on his performance at Sunderland where he has failed to push the team on despite being given considerable resources. Like Pearce he has age on his side and may be a more likely candidate further down the line.
Steve McClaren
Would the FA really give him another chance? It seems improbable given the outcome last time, although McClaren has substantially matured as a manager following two successful seasons at FC Twente. Now gaining further European experience at Wolfsburg, the memories might be just a little too raw for a return in two years’ time.
Plenty for the FA to think about then and having set their stall out so early with regards to securing the services of an Englishman for the job, they can hardly afford to get this appointment wrong. The pressure the position brings is intense and the expectation levels often unrealistic, although any English candidate is likely to be well aware of that. Whilst the FA will be keen to ensure that it doesn’t overshadow England’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign and the tournament itself (should they qualify), the search begins now.
What do you think? Which of the candidates would you like to see given the job? Is there any sense in limiting the search to English candidates? As ever, let us know your thoughts.
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Reading your list of candidates really highlightes what a poor selection there is. alot can happen in w years and someone new might come on the scene but I would go for Harry Redknapp if the appointment was today
Interesting that you do an article 2 years in advance about the England manager job. As Wales manager John Toshock stood down yesterday why have you not done an artcle on that job?
The simple reason is, Toshack’s departure hadn’t been confirmed when I wrote the article and there was speculation that he might be staying on for a couple of games.
With regards to a successor for Toshack, I’m struggling to come up with any suitable candidates. Does anybody have any suggestions?
Wales have a similar problem to England although on an even greater scale. Chris Coleman, bar a brief time at Fulham, has failed to set the managerial world alight. Ryan Giggs and John Hartson have no experience although Hartson apparently does at least possess the relevant coaching badges. Even Dean Saunders is in the frame which highlights the dearth of talent. He’s had a miserable time at Wrexham and is not well-liked by their fans. Redknapp is the obvious choice for England although his comments effectively say to his current bosses at Tottenham that if the job becomes available in a couple of years, he’d be off. Managing the England team and a Premier League side at the same time just isn’t possible.