[Dirtycheat]

lame title, but didnt want to spoil the result

the question on everyone's lips, should mclaren be sacked as manager?


personally i think he shouldn't be.

i admit he went wrong a few times but he made a few big decisions that erickson could never make. I blame the players more than mclaren for the failure to qualify to euro2008. He also had a big injury situation with cole, owen, rooney, rio, terry, hargreaves, heskey, and neville all out from the game, plus he has robinson playing like a donkey. When you put things into perspective he did ok, but i do admit you expect england to qualify. However, you need to ask, how much of this could be avoided and how much of this was the players own fault.


edit: there is an emergency fa meeting about this

Originally Posted by various

FA call emergency meeting
McClaren facing England sack



The Football Association have called an emergency board meeting for Thursday morning to discuss the future of under-fire England manager Steve McClaren.

England's hopes of reaching the finals of Euro 2008 ended on Wednesday night when they slumped to a miserable 3-2 defeat to Croatia at Wembley.

McClaren's side went into the game knowing that one point would be enough to secure a place in next summer's finals in Austria and Switzerland.

However, the defeat ensured England have failed to reach the finals of a major international tournament for the first time since the 1994 World Cup.


McClaren, though, refused to resign in the immediate aftermath of the Wembley loss which concludes a highly unimpressive qualifying campaign.

But, while McClaren declined to discuss his future, the 12-man FA executive will sit in judgement at 8.30am tomorrow and their verdict is not likely to be positive.

It had been reported at the weekend, before England were handed an unexpected reprieve by Israel's 2-1 victory over Russia, that a seven-three vote had already been taken to remove McClaren from his post.

This has been denied by the FA, although it is difficult to see how a majority of the committee can come down in McClaren's favour, especially as chief executive Brian Barwick and chairman Geoff Thompson do not have a vote.

The members of the committee, including Manchester United chief executive David Gill, Bolton chairman Phil Gartside and Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney will surely find it impossible to back McClaren, whose side were booed off the field at the final whistle

skysports

[TeKnIcIaN]

As I've said before, I think he should get the sack. Saying this, I also have to admit that I do have a personal liking for the guy... something about being SAF's assistant during the treble year and other great seasons. But qualifying for a major tournament is a minimum requirement for an England boss - anything less is grounds for dismissal no matter what the excuses might be.

Yes, it's true that the players didn't play well generally, but it is the managers job to make sure they do play well even in the face of injuries. When things were going fine (five 3-0 wins on the trot) then everything was fine, but when the stiff tests appeared, England crumbled and that is not the kind of spirit that wins anything. Anyone else remember last seasons away game at Everton? (still my favourite game of that season, btw) That was real fighting spirit!

Sorry Steve.... but you gotta go. Even if for no other reason than both the fans and players will have doubts and lack confidence as long as you're at the post. Right after the game, I had a flash of who would make a good successor and although some people here might want to lynch me for saying it, Jose Mourinho is currently leading the polls as the favoured next manager of England.

[dada]

Its official.

[gerda1-1]

Of course he should be fired. he is bad coach.

[macca247]

yes glad he is sacked never should of been england manager in the first place
lets just hope they can get someone good in this time

[TeKnIcIaN]

Probably the most ringing endorsement you can get from a guy who, as you all know, commands probably the most respect in the game:

Indeed Mourinho has some powerful backing from the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, who said: 'If the FA consult me about it I'll give them a shortlist of one, and tell them to get Mourinho'

[GocartMozart]

I'm a little saddened to see McLaren go. He deserved better than this lot of players, but still he's a fuck up. As a far too often apathetic fan of international football, I should be indifferent, but with this media monstrosity and their ingrain arrogrance and supposed devine right to victory, i can't help but smile at the events of the last 6 months. I'm looking forward to the next asshat they bring in.

[ou7blaze]

Honestly with his achievements previously (won nothing with Boro?) he should have never been chosen to be England coach.

If anything Martin O'Neill would've done better, Rednapp or even Big Sam!

These managers have done much better in their days than Mcclaren has.

Failured to qualify for the Euro competition was a big slap to England fans and an embarassment to the country and the FA.

How can the worlds most watched football league which used to produce so many great English HOMEGROWN footballers fail to beat countries which don't even have a league anywhere near as good? It's appauling really.

Especially as someone noted that we had a good string or results and without Lampard and with Barry we were shown what a simple change could do to the team. Players with EGO were left on when some players who weren't as good fit well with the team and produced results.

Don't know about you but Mcclaren just wasn't good enough. It's either Jose Mourinho or Hiddink or O'Neil as manager now, or ... me :P

[GocartMozart]

I'd like to see Hiddink personally, but the McClaren fiasco is the FA's responsibility. I find it unbelievable that they need to go out and ask SAF and others about who they should pick? What are these people doing on a daily basis? What is there job, and if they can't figure out who their manager should be, then get out of the position you're in.

Now we all agree that McClaren should never have had the job. That much is obvious. I like the man, but he's just not fit. As far as O'Neill, Redknapp and Fat Sam, I'd be embarrassed to have them lead my team. They are all unfit and unworthy.

Finally, the fact that the Portugese, and teams like the Croats have better success, says something about the skill of the players, not the skill of their leagues. Clearly the Greeks have a second tier (if that) league system, yet they were able to succeed. Their success was based on recognizing their strengths, minimizing their weaknesses, and the players responding to the manager. Furthermore, it was because these players had so much experience in various leagues, that they were able to compete. The idea that isolationism is the answer to England's problems is just the media's spin on a shit situation. The result will be no different, and if anything you'll damage the game further.