Martin O'Neill would be a great, actually brilliant manager of England but he's not going to do it.

In fact he doesn't know how else to say it - it's just not going to happen. This isn't however about O'Neill as that horse has been flogged to death. It's just bloody annoying the media won't leave it alone.

The thing is, with so many calling for Jose Mourinho and the likes of Fabio Capello, Jurgen Klinsmann and Marcello Lippi all getting mentioned, I've got to stand up and agree with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger - we need an English manager.

It's not that the players can't play a more European game, they can. On a European stage we've got some of the best teams - it's just that those best teams mostly have more players that are not English - which ultimately compliment the English grit and determination that the English game is famous for.

When you put eleven English players together, more often than not it's only grit and determination that they have to offer and whatever has rubbed off from playing with the likes of Ronaldo, Tevez or Fabregas. They're all good, excellent in fact but they don't warrant a European manager or someone that isn't English - they need John Gregory.

Okay, maybe not John Gregory - but we've got loads of English managers that could do the job - but why not John Gregory?

Look at it this way - we've got quite a few months until we have to play our next competitive match and we are likely to have a few matches coming up in the summer - the FA need to make some money after all - so why not give it to a manager that can get the players fired up?

Arsene Wenger hits the nail on the head for me, "I think it has to be an Englishman because it is English football and the English football federation.

"You know what makes me sad? I am more nationalistic than you because you want to go for Mourinho or Capello. I am the only one who goes for an Englishman."

Don't dismiss the likes of John Gregory and his ability to do a good job, but you can dismiss him getting the job. Dismiss it because it's odds on the FA will make another mistake with whichever manager they appoint.

Second choice Steve was wrong because he was the previous incumbents assistant and he was too pally with the players. It's not about making pals - it's about making sure you've got the right eleven players out on the pitch representing the country.

Nothing else matters when it comes to the national team and when they appoint a foreigner or someone that is there to keep people happy then the FA will be demonstrating, yet again, why we'll not win the World Cup again.

Comments (27)

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alextaylor24 said:

there is not one english manager good enough to take the job. second choice steve had probably achieved more than any other english available manager at the time, so imagine appointing someone other than him. also don't include english managers who are past it because the manager has to be used to the current football being played it has to be jose. a manager is needed who is more of a prima donna than all the players. he's that guy!

December 06, 2007

Gary said:

One good thing about Gregory, he was never afraid to drop big names from the side. Maybe we need someone who won't yield to external pressure for a change.

December 06, 2007

Damian said:

all i'm saying alextaylor24 is why not give an englishman a chance. gregory is just one example .. there are others i agree that you need a manager who is more of a prima donna than all the players - but we also need someone who isn't afraid to drop the likes of terry, lamps, cahsley cole .... and play players that are on form ... ah - its only debate, opinion. it will be interesting to see what happens

December 06, 2007 | url

AnotherJames said:

no, I dont agree. Yes, if there were good enough English managers available, they should get instant preference, however there is nobody good enough right now. Allardyce clearly needs to have a re-think before becoming England manager (which I think I might be one day), Coppell just doesn't have the experience with big names, and the only realistic alternative, Redknapp, has just had some pretty bad press. Perhaps once that issue has calmed down, and assuming he's innocent (which is a big assumption to make), he could come in as theres plenty of time. When McClaren was brought in, he was second choice only to foreign managers (if you ignore MON). If we turned to an English manager now, we'd be going for well-below-third-choice. It has to be Mourinho, he has all the qualities needed and, most importantly, appears to understand English players. (Which I don't think Capello & co do.)

December 06, 2007

Luke said:

I disagree. We need the best manager, irrelevant of the nationality. Mourinho is clearly the best candidate.

December 06, 2007

Majkee said:

There is no need to have an english manager. I do not see any reason to have englishman at the helm of your national team. You need different approach to your style of play, which surely lack of creativity. Only "strenght and cross" is not enough for today's football. And, I agree, no primadonnas are needed, new manager have to play the best on-form players, if you want to be successful.

December 06, 2007

Damian said:

maybe i'm just wanting the ideal ... what do they call it, utopia? but whats wrong with giving an english manager a chance? next competitive game isn't for a long time

December 06, 2007 | url

caleb said:

The fact that you have named John Gregory as a good English manager is laughable. We need a coach who is experienced and successful at European level. Just because Gregory got villa to the top of the table at Christmas, that does not warrant him to become England manager. I can hardly think of any good English coaches anyway...

December 06, 2007

The Mighty Steve said:

I think the fact that Steve McClaren was English after the whole country expressed a distaste for foreign managers and their supposed lack of passion, has a lot to do with him getting the job. We settled for second (if that) best to get an Englishman and it cost us a place in Euro 2008. You've got to get the best man for the job, would love an Englishman, Redknapp looked a good shout before he was arrested, but its not going to happen. You could say we could try to go for a top quality English coach instead, but that is never going to happen with the English press and would essentially be a wild card choice.

December 06, 2007 | url

xandeh said:

I agree with Damian but at the same time don't want one myself. I can understand exactly where he's coming from the Englishman idea and partly I think it's the right decision, as there a few decent English managers about, without stating the obvious ones. At the same time though, if it were an Englishman I'd want someone with passion. Allardyce, Coppell, Rednapp, In my opinion are not the men for the job. If i had to pick an Englishman it would have to be Pearce or even Ince/Wise. Someone who's been there felt the pain of losing for England, someone with fight, with love of the country and someone who isn't afraid to scream their lungs out at the players if it isn't going right. At the same time though, at this current moment I don't think anyone English is up to taking the job. They need a bit more experience in top level games. So I'd have to put José Mourinho at the top of the list. Although he isn't English, he's seen how the game works, how it is to be messed about by the powers above you. He's already got good knowledge of the squad and he's not afraid to change things, to say what he wants and to handle the media properly. The problem with Sven and with SCS was that they didn't do anything when it was all going down hill. They'd just chew their gum and hope for the best. As well as they got walked allover by the players and by other managers. Alex Ferguson is a prime example. If he doesn't want one of his players to play for their country, he'll do whatever he can to put a block on it. And 90% of the time it works, as people bottle it with him. With Mourinho in charge he'd stick two fingers up to Fergie and take who he wanted. That's the kind of guy we need. Someone to be able to look at the form of the team and pick it. Not who's in the paper the most, who should get this many caps to be a hero and the rest of the rubbish the team gets picked on. Form.

December 06, 2007

Damian said:

i'd not even thought of ince ... i'd give ince 10 matches. he's up there with them - as in he's got the cahs, he's had the success and he'll have the respect of them all .. ince - good call

December 06, 2007 | url

xander said:

The only thing that annoys me about the whole saga is the FA approaching players and other managers to ask who THEY think. Are they not capable of making a decision on their own? I mean what's England got to do with Ferguson he hates us. Or a German? Our footballing worst enemy. Why not let the fans vote, after all we're an essential part of the game.

December 06, 2007

i love villa said:

The thing is, with so many calling for Jose Mourinho and the likes of Fabio Capello, Jurgen Klinsmann and Marcello Lippi all getting mentioned, I've got to stand up and agree with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger - we need an English manager. John Gregory being mentioned in the same breath as these managers- is a joke. maybe john gregory is only an example??ok so who else? steve coppell, steve bruce, paul jewell, sam allardyce, harry the fiddler redknapp?? none of these guys no matter what there own achievements dont deserve to wipe the ass of any of the afore mentioned foreign managers. 'fire up the troops, stiff upper lip chaps' come on get with the real world and realise that england isnt the centre of the world, that british isnt best and its time to bring in a proven manager with class to manage the overpaid passionless but yet undeniable talented for their clubs england players. I havent seen this british grit you speak of in an english player for a long time. when was the last time england ground out a result????

December 06, 2007

Damian said:

at i love villa i think thats my point about your question - you havent seen england grind out a result for a long long time how about paul ince as manager? or at the very least - how about he's given a chance? when you appoint a manager like mourinho (which i think they probably will) there are so many expectations .. nothing wrong with that but if he loses 3 out of 5 people will be calling for his head and why should he care? anyway - its all opinion .. and my opinion is that managing england is different to managing at club level - so on that basis there are not that many 'proven managers' - you have to take a chance

December 06, 2007 | url

Dizzy Mugs said:

Couldn't give a s**t who we appoint as manager and who plays for the team. It's not like the players do..why should we? Whoever comes in needs to take risks and have the balls to tell our pessimistic media to shut the hell up. Klinnsman, Capello, Mourinho. They're all great managers, but look at the squads they had! Steve Coppell would be the best choice, he can handle pressure, has experience and has done a good job with a small, mostly British, squad.

December 06, 2007

xander said:

that's the kind of spirit we need.

December 06, 2007

Dannyboy1982 said:

Oh... My ... God!! Someone actually just said John Gregory would be a good manager for England! I'm almost speechless!! Not good enough for Derby or QPR, but good enough to be England manager! I've heard everything now! I thought Barwick was the most clueless man in the country, i was wrong! John Gregory for England.... Right, thats it. Stop the world, I'm getting off!

December 06, 2007

xander said:

I'd rather have him than a German or Steve Bruce. Not quite sure what the difference is there..

December 06, 2007

davidb said:

Are we after quick fixes or long term solutions? If its the former - then Mourinho. If its the latter, then Pearce. Or Shearer. Or Ince. Someone from that generation with the assistance of an experienced old head. But of course, like everything else in this country - its short termism only. We want to get a manager who will get us to South Africa in 2 years time. And bugger the long term consequences.

December 06, 2007

xander said:

Mourinho with Ince as assistant!

December 06, 2007

PaulE said:

Long term? I'd take Jose and a world cup win in South Africa even if it meant we failed to qualify for the following 3 tournaments. Jose's the man. His teams always either win or come second. That's what we need. When there's an English manager who can rival the likes of him for ability, fine, but until then we need to wait for them to develop.

December 06, 2007

Ghosthunter said:

I was never that bothered about having an English manager until recently. It suddenly dawned on me that we are sacrificing the spirit of the game in pursuit of the result. It's an English team. If we don't have what it takes to qualify using English players and managers then we don't have what it takes. If we had a foreign manager and still no success for another 40 years, do we start drafting in foreign players who play in the English league??. I want us to be successful as much as anyone but I want it to be an English success. Can you just imagine if we won something with a German or Frenchman in charge!!! What's the point. It's the same in matches. Nobody wants to see a game where long ball tactics are used just because it might earn them the point(s), we want to see good football with passion and skill. To use an O'Neill expression 'we are where we deserve to be'. We need to find an English Manager who will, as Damian rightly puts it, make sure he's got the right eleven players out on the pitch. Forget about picking the celebrities, pick the best team. Let it be an Englishman and let's get behind him (or her)and the team because they're English and that is, first and foremost, what international football is all about. I'd like to throw my hat into the ring so long as I can get a £2.5m compensation package if it goes wrong

December 06, 2007

jo said:

Mourinho would be crazy to take the job. He's had loads of women on the side and the first thing the press would do is plaster that all over the place. Jose would then go berserk and probably storm out leaving us in the s*** again. But he's too smart to take it for that reason plus he'd go mad with boredom and having to work for *ossers like Barwak and dave richards too.

December 06, 2007

avfc-anthony said:

"give an englishman a chance". sorry but cant you remeber we did and where are we now. thats got to be quote of the year thanks for the laughs.

December 06, 2007

Az said:

I can see where you're coming from with this article but we've tried English managers and it's failed. I say pick Mourinho and see how he handles us, we have the players, we just need somebody who's going point us in the right direction tactically. Having a glance at the other international teams I think England would stand to benefit by bringing younger players into the side earlier - The likes of Young, Theo Walcott among others should already be gaining the experience at the highest level, as well as in the under 21s squad. If we succeed with Mourinho which we all know might be expecting a little too much even if he is the special one, then go with an English manager and just hope we don't fall into the pit of mediocrity once more.

December 06, 2007

davidb said:

If, in a country with a population of 50,000,000 individuals we genuinely cannot find someone with the right credentials to organise 11 men to play football successfully we might as well all pack it in and go home.

December 07, 2007

i love villa said:

ok damian i take your point, i can understand why you want a n english manager that at least you no that his intentions are correct, that he has desire and is patriotic and maybe because it might inspire the english players because of his previous achievements. i dunno about ince would the players be in awe of him??? im irish and i shudder to think that mourinho gets the job because if he does you guys wont have to scream about '66 anymore, you'll be singing 2010 and jose will add another medal to his collection!! nad il have to look across the channell with envy. i think jose has the tempermeant to handle the england players to bring the best out of them. i think he has no fear and the england team when they play look to be full of fear. i think he'll bring back the confidence which is all they are lacking and he is tactically sound. he has present success and i think hed be the players favourite. to put it in perspective if jose went to manage ireland and cappello to scotland and klinsmann to northern ireland how would you feel about it? would you think all nations were after pulling off a coup?? i think so, so why not be happy with mourinho for your nation. hes got all the credentials and with the palyers at his disposal and knoledege of the english game i think you'd be on a real winner

December 07, 2007

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