da brdice： Following what has been the most bizarre and shocking 24 hours in the England national team’s managerial history, the Three Lions are in need of a new gaffer.
da fezbet： As we’re sure you’re all aware, Sam Allardyce has left the post by ‘mutual consent’ after being caught on camera discussing some very questionable subjects with undercover journalists from The Telegraph.
Indeed, what many have speculated for some time now appears to be transparently true – ‘Big Sam’s’ about as dodgy as Bugsy Malone’s Fat Sam, with brown envelopes aplenty.
But alas, the England team must move on and prepare for their next game, which, rather worryingly, is just 10 days away.
England U-21s manager Gareth Southgate has been put in charge of the senior side for their next four fixtures, but is he the best long-term option to rescue the Three Lions from their seemingly eternal malaise?
We take a look at the former Middlesbrough manager and FOUR alternatives…
GARETH SOUTHGATE
If England pick up wins with relative ease during Gareth Southgate’s interim spell, it seems inevitable the FA will offer him the job full-time. The final fixture of his emergency reign, a friendly against Spain, could be the ultimate audition: strong performances against world football’s elite is a rare commodity for Three Lions managers these days.
Admittedly, the former defender isn’t the most inspiring of options. His Middlesbrough side fell out of the Premier League with a whimper in the only club management spell of his career. But synergy between youth squads and the senior team is an increasing priority for the FA and Southgate has coached both the U-20s and U-21s – winning the Toulon Tournament with the latter earlier this year.
EDDIE HOWE
The current England clan are a young, dynamic side and would surely benefit from a young and dynamic manager, such as Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe.
In two spells as Cherries gaffer, he’s propelled the club from the depths of the Football League to the top flight, all the while insisting upon an industrious-yet-attacking style of play. Once again, that suits the young talents England now have at their disposal.
But if there’s one concern, it’s limited experience. The 38-year-old hasn’t worked with big personalities, the FA or at international level before. As was said by many in the summer, it could be a little too soon for Howe.
ALAN PARDEW
Like him or loathe him, Alan Pardew might just be the best English manager on the scene at the moment.
The 55-year-old far dwarfs Howe and Southgate in terms of experience and has provided results at some incredibly tough clubs, most particularly Newcastle United and West Ham.
If you can continue to perform in front of two of the Premier League’s most temperamental and militant fan bases, you can probably handle the pressures of the England job, too.
But of course, Pardew is plagued by an undying curse; he either wins or loses and usually in lengthy streaks. The only consistency to his results is inconsistency – England can’t accept that against the likes of Malta and Slovenia.
JURGEN KLINSMANN
Jurgen Klinsmann has expressed interest in the England job before and his record at international level is certainly noteworthy. He began Germany’s revolution in 2004 and has championed the United States during a beautiful game boom on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Throw in a willingness to implement attacking football, charisma on camera and relative knowledge of the English game from his playing days with Tottenham Hotspur, and Klinsmann could be the best candidate for the job. There’s only one problem – he’s German!
GLENN HODDLE
In the absence of a convincing modern candidate, England may feel compelled to delve back into their past. Glenn Hoddle’s England tenure ended in a similarly scandalous manner to Allardyce’s, but he’s still revered as one of the greatest thinkers to ever take the Three Lions hot seat.
Hoddle’s boosted his popularity with some fantastic punditry work for BT Sport over the last few years, reminding everybody of his faith in progressive, forward-thinking football.
But the 58-year-old’s last management job was all the way back in 2006; he’s been out of the game so long that he may struggle to get the best out of modern players.