Next England Manager

[BakedBeans]

- tough, passionate and proud. Everything Sven isn't.

Stuart Pearce should have been given the job under that criteria

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I don't know why people are so disparaging about Sven Goran Eriksson. Highest FIFA rankings (and seedings) for years, excellent results (barring a few cock-ups)...

In all fairness to the guy, I don't think there's anything at all with his record. He's only ever lost one qualifier, and his only competitive defeats besides that (I think I'm right in saying) have been in the World Cup against eventual winners Brazil and at Euro 2004 against eventual runners-up and hosts Portugal. The two main criticisms have been a lack of tactical flexibility when the going has gotten tough (which I think is a justified complaint), and a lack of passion. The other side of that coin is that we've had passionate managers over the years who have won us bugger all – for example, no one would accuse Kevin Keegan of lacking passion and pride but by his own admission it wasn't enough at that level.

There's also the criticism Sven wasn't English (or, at a stretch, British). Personally, I think you should get the best possible man for the job, irrespective of nationality (well, maybe not from an arch-rival nation like Germany or Argentina ). I'm with Dogbone and BakedBeans that Hiddink was the ideal choice. I was delighted by the news that Scolari had apparently been offered the post – his record and experience speaks for itself. Certainly, McClaren is a 'safe pair of hands' but I must be honest and say that his appointment really doesn't excite me at all. I think Pearce will make a good England manager one day but he's one for the future, not now.

 

[dogbone]

In all fairness to the guy, I don't think there's anything at all with his record. He's only ever lost one qualifier, and his only competitive defeats besides that (I think I'm right in saying) have been in the World Cup against eventual winners Brazil and at Euro 2004 against eventual runners-up and hosts Portugal. The two main criticisms have been a lack of tactical flexibility when the going has gotten tough (which I think is a justified complaint), and a lack of passion. The other side of that coin is that we've had passionate managers over the years who have won us bugger all – for example, no one would accuse Kevin Keegan of lacking passion and pride but by his own admission it wasn't enough at that level.

There's also the criticism Sven wasn't English (or, at a stretch, British). Personally, I think you should get the best possible man for the job, irrespective of nationality (well, maybe not from an arch-rival nation like Germany or Argentina ). I'm with Dogbone and BakedBeans that Hiddink was the ideal choice. I was delighted by the news that Scolari had apparently been offered the post – his record and experience speaks for itself. Certainly, McClaren is a 'safe pair of hands' but I must be honest and say that his appointment really doesn't excite me at all. I think Pearce will make a good England manager one day but he's one for the future, not now.

Jaffacake, is the above a post that you posted a while ago or am I having deja vu all over again?

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Jaffacake, is the above a post that you posted a while ago or am I having deja vu all over again?

Nope, not a repost. I've shared my thoughts on the England manager situation, Sven's record and Scolari's suitability in a few posts over on the Premier League thread as well as this one, so you've no doubt read those and it's maybe triggering a little deja vu.