My thoughts on who the next England manager should be

While there will be speculation of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill taking over the England job, the only person I would consider is former AC Milan and Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello.

Time to be realistic. In a perfect world, I would hand the job to Mourinho but he doesn't want it regardless of how much speculation and what betting odds are. O'Neill could be tempted but I don't know how well he will fare.

The problem, as I see it, is that the England players need a swift kick in the ass and Capello is the man to do it. He ruffled feathers at Madrid but tell me if he wasn't Spanish champion at the end of it? The England side need some feathers ruffled and maybe some egos brought back to Earth. Like how about starting with breaking up the Gerrard-Lampard midfield that has never and likely will never work? Capello has what it takes to make such a change and he'd do it for a result.

Oh, and you know, Capello said he would be interested in the England job. That counts for something. So does the fact that he has been champion with every side he has ever managed.

For my golden parachute its Capello. Get that man in there and get an 11 on the pitch that will contend for the next World Cup.

Grab your coat, there is the door, McClaren fired

After only 18 matches in charge, former Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren era is over following England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008. Assistant coach Terry Venables has also been shown the door after an unanimous decision by the Football Association board during an emergency meeting.

McClaren's position had become untenable after the 3-2 defeat to Croatia at Wembley on Wednesday.

This makes the hapless McClaren's reign the shortest time in charge of any England manager.

Oh, and McClaren will cash in more than 2m pounds in the footballing worlds version of a golden parachute. To be compensated for such an awesome failure is more untenable than McClaren's job. The 'Umbrella Man' can now go wipe his nose with all that cash.

He was the wrong man for the job to begin with, so in many ways the failure to qualify lands at the feet of the FA. Next time, don't settle for a coach.

Oh... Croatia got a third, England out

Everyone had already written Peter Crouch into their headlines as the hero for England but it was not to be. A manager clueless of international tactics and players looking more interested in salaries than the Euro 2008 Finals lose in the final qualifier and are thus dropped from the finals.

After one of the worst first halves I have ever seen, England managed to regroup from a 2 goal deficit after Frank 'dissapearance' Lampard slotted in a penalty and Peter Crouch lashed in the equalizer. At 2-2, England were thru. Scenes of jubiliation, the day was saved.

Or was it. Substitute Mladen Petric blasted a monster 25 yard drive across England goalkeeper Scott Carson and into the bottom corner. Ah, and then the silence.

England had 15 minutes to recover from the hammer blow but it was not to be. Croatia held their nerve and Steve McClaren was left holding his umbrella. Hold your member, buddy, because its all you have left. Oh, and quit, quit right after the game.