Allardyce, Curbs, McClaren & O'Neill Are England Four

[russe||]

Despite Brian Barwick's attempts to keep their identities secret, Martin O'Neill, Sam Allardyce, Steve McClaren and Alan Curbishley have been named as the four remaining candidates on the FA's short-list to be the next England manager.

Barwick is reported to be so concerned at the short-list - compiled by the FA chief executive, international committee chairman Noel White, Premier League chairman Dave Richards and FA vice-chairman David Dein - being leaked that he is prepared to withhold their names at the FA board meeting this afternoon.

'The board is expecting a full briefing on the interview process but Barwick will provide only peripheral details and is expected to inform only two or three high-ranking officials, on the strict condition that they do not pass on the information,' says The Guardian.

After whittling down the list of names to four, O'Neill remains the favourite to replace Sven but The Daily Telegraph claims that 'there is a growing lobby of support for McClaren within the FA.'

By blatantly and repeatedly talking up his own chances to whoever would listen, Sam Allardyce is believed to have 'done himself no favours.'

In all, Barwick is believed to have spoken to eight managers or their representatives. Stuart Pearce has been discounted due to his inexperience while The Independent will no doubt be dismayed to learn that Gerry Francis wasn’t contacted.

The process will now enter the formal interview stage.

Barwick has been pursued across the country by a paparazzi desperate for pictures of him meeting the likes of O'Neill and Allardyce.

In a bid to avoid the inevitable media scrum if the candidates were invited to Soho Square, interviews are expected to be held at the managers' own houses.

An announcement confirming the appointment is scheduled to be made between the season's end on May 13 and June 5 when the England squad travel to Germany.

I hope this isn't true, I really don't want any of them managing England.

O'Neil - he is still a foreigner and his inclusion makes a mockery of the FA's apparent decision to appoint an Englishman. I mean a brit is close enough isn't its? Morons.

McClaren - no no no no no.

Curbishley - of the four I'd prefer him

Allardyce - you really want to see England playing like Bolton?

[hanuma]

Curbishley - No....underachieved after stabilising the club and waxed on and on about how well he has done, when in reality he has won nothing and kept Charlton midtable doing nothing and playing dull football.

Allardyce - Could be good...I mean if he can bring the best out of England's finest, like he has done with the shower of shit at Bolton then we have a winner....but it will be a massive culture shock.

McLaren- Utter wank.

O'Neill - The best track record of the listed managers probably. Plays dull football, but, like Allardyce, has never had such talent and freedom before. Could probably handle the media best and I'm sure the fans would love his energy on the touchline....after all thats what they/we have been bitching about for all of Erikssons tenure.


I would choose the mick out of all of them.....mainly because I like him most as a person and because he won't think about starting Nolan, Downing, Riggot, Hunt or Marcus Bent.

[mr.watford]

i don't see why martin o'neill is rated so highly by everyone.

[hanuma]

He did a pretty good job with 'that team, from somewhere up north' and Celtic.

He is a pretty amusing character too.

Allthough, that is about it....it shows the paucity of talent on this list and how stupid the FA are to be narrowing their search to just British managers.

[russe||]

I like O'Neil as a manager and he seems like a nice bloke but if Hiddink and Scolari have been ruled out for the crime of being foreign it would piss me off to see O'Neil appointed.

[robaldo]

hiddink is the man for the job, i dnt see a problem with a foreigner
if they want to win something, they get the best man for the job

[We_are_QPR]

McClaren? Noooooooooooooooooo

Allardyce? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Curbs is my preference of the Englishmen.

[hanuma]

Curbs is poor....rubbish, uninspired football and a bad history of controlling big ego's.....his training methods and ability to create spirit are never spoken about by the players in the same way the other three (even fucking McClaren) and his tactical prowess is limited to all out defensive 451 or all out attacking 442....poor.

[russe||]

I don't want any of them to manage England.

I have thought in the past that a manage from a small club would be ideal for international management (after all you can't transfer in new players, you have to be skilled at getting the best out of the squad you have got) so I don't know why I hate the idea of one of these guys managing England so much.

[hanuma]

What do you need to be a top international manager?

I would say it's the ability to inspire confidence and togetherness more than anything else....tactics are important, but once you get to International level the basics tend to look after themselves and making the right changes at the right times is the most influence you can have on a match.

So as far as thats concerned O'Neill and Allardyce aren't BAD choices...Curbishley or McClaren would be though.

[MUMUFMUFCOK!]

Allthough, that is about it....it shows the paucity of talent on this list and how stupid the FA are to be narrowing their search to just British managers.

Yeah, and the fucking idiots should be playing Henry up front instead of Owen. Buffon is a better bet than Robinson and Ronaldinho is better than Lampard.

[hanuma]

Well that would be stupid....

[Johnson]

barwick and the whole fa are a bunch of prats and this fiasco has proven it.

i liek the way everyone suddenly likes the idea of a foreign manager, when sven came everyone was kickign off about it, including the papers. for me id get big sam in, peopel say he plays borign football, but he plays to his teams strengths, with england i think he would use our strengths and play good football. plus he will not be afraid of dropping people

[kyan]

bbc says 'several newspaper reports in England suggested [Luiz Felipe Scolari] was set to get the job after having an impressive second interview', claims which Scolari's denied

i thought hiddink would be the best manager to get, if he can take a team like south korea to 3rd in the world cup, imagine what he could do with one of the strongest squad of players in the world but now it looks like hes gonna manage russia....

of the 4 brits, i think o'neill is the best, he didnt only do well with celtic, he did brilliantly with leicester and hes a strong manager

[mr.watford]

Originally Posted by Johnson

plus he will not be afraid of dropping people

which is why he has never dropped jay-jay okocha, despite his average form over the last 3 seasons.