For those that want Sven OUT

[davieG]

******** to replace him:

Our Pick To Replace Sven...Eventually

Thursday September 08 2005 By Sarah Winterburn

No matter how many websites are set up calling him for him to be sacked or how many times he is put up for sale on Ebay (a joke that wore thin in 2002), Sven-Goran Eriksson will not either resign or be sacked this side of the final World Cup qualifiers. And nor should he be.

For the FA to sack the manager of a team lying second in their World Cup qualifying group with one defeat in three qualifying campaigns would be utterly ridiculous. He has taken us to two major Finals and within a decent substitution of two semi-finals. To kick him out because England lost to Northern Ireland would make the FA no better than Freddy Shepherd when it comes to making decisions about managers.

Yes, England were awful against an inspired Northern Ireland, yes, the formation was at least partly at fault, yes, Eriksson does lack the passion that we'd all like to see from an England manager (but anyone who bases their opinions purely on this clearly has no memory of Keggy Keegle) and yes, he does seem to have lost control of a team of superstars.

But no, that should not mean he loses his job. Yet.

Eriksson should be given this World Cup campaign, whether it ends in play-off defeat or in Germany next summer, to finish his job. That job should involve having the gumption to upset players, having the courage to pick a formation that suits the team and not individuals and temporarily having the dizziness to lose Owen Hargreaves' phone number.

All the hundreds of e-mails received by Football365 in the last 24 hours prove that there is no universal opinion as to how this England team should play - 3-5-2, 4-4-2, drop Beckham, drop Lampard, shoot Hargreaves - but what is universal is the instruction to England players to start looking like they give a flying kiss about playing for their country.

If they need a Stuart Pearce or a Sam Allardyce to come in now to shout the odds and make that happen, then that really says rather more about the motivation levels of the players than it does about the current manager.

But I do believe that Eriksson should not stay beyond the World Cup however this all ends - it will be time for a change, for him, for the players, for the press and for the fans. And I put paricularly emphasis on the players - a new manager with no alliances and no favourites is needed to put a rocket up the backside of certain folk.

So who should follow him? Steve McClaren? No way. He's part of the Eriksson club and as such does not match the criteria for a fresh start. And his achievements with Middlesbrough have hardly blown the bleedin' doors off.

Alan Curbishley? A solid choice but not a remarkable one. Here is a man who has always struggled to motivate his Addicks in the FA Cup against inferior opposition or indeed at any point of the season beyond the point at which survival is ensured.

Sam Allardyce? If you want English passion, then Sam's your man. Unfortunately, we also envisage a future of Gary Neville trying to land a long throw onto the head of Peter Crouch. And why would he want such a rotten job anyway when he seemingly has a job for life in Lancashire?

Stuart Pearce? Too soon, and we really wouldn't wish it on him anyway. We'll come back to him.

The name that jumps out from the bookies' list for me is Peter Taylor. Forget for a minute the disastrous spell at Leicester (the lesson WGS should have heeded: never follow Martin O'Neill), beyond that his record is exemplary. At club level, there was promotion at Gillingham, Brighton and Hull twice over. And then there's the England Under-21s, who Taylor is for the second time turning into one of the best teams in Europe.

How fantastic to hear this week that Glen Johnson was sent home from the squad for being a Bertie Big B***ocks. That's what you want from a manager, someone who says 'I don't care what you do at Chelsea, here you listen to me'.

He ticks all the right boxes - tactically astute, passionate without being hot-headed, strength to deal with big personalities, hard-working (he does two jobs, remember) and an encyclopaedic knowledge of England's young players. And he's already respected by the FA and knows the drill. Graham Taylor said on Saturday that it takes two years for a manager to adjust to international football. Halve that for Taylor.

And his assistant? That's where Pearce comes in. A man like that will never be happy away from the training-ground, in the stands watching games or in meetings at the FA. But turning up a few days before the game to kick some butt and remind the players how they should feel playing for England? Perfect.

Now let's hear what you've got to say about this story... or anything else happening in the world of football. Send your opinions, rants, praise or abuse to [email protected]

[Libertine]

I would hang myself if Taylor was England manager again.

[Gené and Tonic]

tbh, he is a good manager, but had one bad spell, and unfortunately that was at Leicester. I wouldn't mind him being England manager, but I'd rather have big Sam.

[Scarby]

if he can do the job i dont really care.

its time to move on and he fecked up here but doesnt mean he will feck up the national job with the amount of talent on offer!!!!!

im sure he wont even pick Jnr Lewis

[Katy]

I dont rate him, I dont trust him, there is no one at present (other than Allardyce) to replace him and thats the problem but just because theres no one to replace him doesnt mean I cant rant on about how much I want him not to be England manager.

To be honest I dont care about the England football team, ive had it with them they, dont give a shit. It all boils down to money and the desire to do a 'decent days work' - maybe the England cricket team could show them how to do it.

[Anish]

Taylor hasn't even proved himself at the highest level. He had his chance in the Premiership with a big budget and completely blew it. Sure he has gained promotion from the lower leagues, but that's completely different. I'd like Curbishley to have the chance to manage Enlgand: he's worked his way up to the top with an unfashionable team and what more can anyone expect of Charlton Athletic? They play good football, have a strong team ethic, and Curbishley has proved that he is a good organisor and motivator. Plus he hasn't had as much money as Middlesbrough (or even the wages that Bolton are paying) so he's done a tremendous job imo.

And as for that article promoting Peter Taylor because 'he is hardworking', that is simply laughable.

[shen]

What about MON?

[TrickyTrev]

What about MON?

That would go down well with the Celtic faithful, they bloody love England those Irish nationalists do.

[Samu]

To be honest as much as we all hate Peter Taylor he is actually a good coach. Note that I said coach NOT manager. His problem at Leicester was that as a manager he simply did not buy the right players who were up to Premiership standard. But he is a good coach and does get a team playing well. Just look at what he's done at Hull and with the England under 21's. Therefore I think he would be ideal for the job as he does not need to make signings. Please don't kill me for this post...but it's what I honestly think.

[Nationwider]

I'm very much in the Allardyce-In camp, but that's quite a good, logical argument for the Taylor/Pearce combination.

Looking at things dispassionately, PT is/was a good coach who has clearly had success nearly everywhere he has gone. He will also be well respected by number of the country's younger players, at least, who have worked with him in the U-21s.

My only quibble is whether or not he can handle the really big egos in the England camp - he didn't handle them too well at City, rumour has it.

At the moment, I'd rate the likely candidates in the following order of preference:

1 - Allardyce

2 - O'Neill

3 - Taylor

4 - Curbishley

5 - McLaren

[Thracian]

Nicely worked thread. Very eloquent, witty and to a great extent logical.

It's just that, apart from losing Hargreaves phone number and one or two incidental comments I can't agree with any of the substance.

I.E.: a) I don't want Sven to remain in the job beyond 9am this morning.

b) I certainly don't want Peter Taylor taking his place.

I want an Englishman in charge. I'd have no great objection to Stuart Pearce or Sam Allardye but with the players likely to make up England's team in the foreseeable future there is only one guy (assuming MON is not an option cos I'd be prepared to count him as English!) and that is Glen Hoddle.

If England are to win this or any other World or European Cup in the next few years it will be based on attack and the only potential manager who is attack personified is Hoddle.

He's been a bit of a David Icke in the past (but people seem prepared to forgive Taylor for his sins). Hoddle or Taylor with these players. No contest in my view.

[Darth Fox]

To be honest there is more chance of me not getting drunk in Costa Brava next week than O'Neill taking the England job.

[john_lcfc]

id like to see andy gray as he seems to think he knows every tactical problem ever.. does anyone else hate andy gray?

[Thracian]

If he were half as good a manager as he is a pundit he'd be brilliant. Trouble is there is no evidence to suggest it.

[poly87]

Terry Butcher for Engalnd Manager

[King Kyle lcfc]

Psycho all day long