When I was driving home last Friday for a stressful Bank Holiday weekend with the folks, I was listening to a poor excuse for a pundit on the radio discussing one of the latest no-stories to occur.
Just because Alan Pardew spouts his opinion that the next England manager should be English, it is no cause for the nationwide media debate that has occurred in the last seven days.
Nevertheless, a phone-in took place discussing the merits of the possible English candidates. It was then that one of the most absurd punditry moments took place, even in the questionable history of sporting debate on commercial radio. Without a moment’s hesitation, a pundit gave his views on Sam Allardyce’s credentials confidently declaring that "it seems 85% certain that he would make a good England manager."
How the hell do you work that out? What is the mathematical equation that encompasses all of the variables and nuances the England job entails? Do the FA know?
The nonsense has even caused Jose Mourinho to rule himself out of a job that is not available. Steve McClaren and Alan Curbishley have both talked themselves up for the job, while Sam Allardyce’s name has been banded around with more urgency than usual.
How all this conjecture is helpful in World Cup year seems beyond me. Sven Goran Eriksson needs to be allowed to approach this tournament in whatever manner he chooses. After all, this is the one he talked about upon his appointment back in 2001.
There has understandably been an increasing amount of concern over England’s flexibility and strength in depth after the Copenhagen calamity, but it hardly seems just to debate the merits of potential successors after the utterances of a manager with questionable abilities himself.
Pardew came under intense pressure from large sections of his own fans last season, somehow scraping into the play-offs and edging out Ipswich and Preston to gain promotion. He will almost certainly be sacked if he fails to keep the Hammers up, and that will remain a tall order while Marlon Harewood is in the side.
Eriksson as been given the extra break he wanted to allow for maximum preparation immediately before the tournament, but he should be given the same leeway now as he finalises his squad. God help him if England fail to beat Wales on Saturday.
What helps fuel the debate is that it is an open secret that Eriksson will leave his post after next summer’s tournament. If he wins it, he will surely resign victoriously having achieved his goal. If he falls short, he will almost certainly be sacked by the FA partly because they will no longer be able to justify his huge salary. Not that they can really justify it as it is, unless of course he lands the big prize.
Whether or not the next manager should be English is a debate that just seems to trawl up old theories and prejudices that were first espoused prior to the Swede’s appointment. Those who could not entertain the notion of England not managed by the English have had four years to get used to the idea.
As the first foreign manager, Eriksson has the unique position to polarise opinion on the subject. If successful, he lends weight to the theory that he provides a tactical acumen that only comes with experience of foreign leagues and big club management.
If he fails, fuel is added to the argument of those who believe Eriksson does not understand the English mentality and does not have the understanding with the players that an Englishman would. And then there are those who just plainly disagree with the principal of a non-English manager.
Obviously, public opinion will be based on next summer and therefore there can be little advancement in this area. What was the case in 2001 and will almost certainly be the case next summer is that none of the potential English suitors to the job have a position at a big club.
Bolton and Charlton are competent sides, but neither exhibit the type of football that would encourage their manager’s elevation to the top job. Their lack of European experience would also count against them.
Steve McClaren would seem to be the obvious choice if the FA were to decide on an English manager, but he has hardly set the world alight at Middlesborough, and a highly decorated foreign manager may prove an attractive alternative.
It seems a salient point that if an Englishman were successful in a top domestic job first, it would prepare him a lot better for the ultimate task. While those jobs continue to go to foreigners, no English manager is able to cut his teeth to significantly improve his chances of being successful.
Anyway, I am on the verge of being hypocritical and debating what I have denounced as pointless until next summer. I was sure when I started writing that I wouldn’t debate it too much. I say I was sure, but when I think about it, probably only about 85% sure.