The FA has begun the search for a replacement for Roy Hodgson, whose underwhelming four-year tenure was brought to an abrupt end by Monday’s humiliating Euro 2016 elimination by Iceland.
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“I call them the Academy Generation because they have come through in an era when footballers have never had more time being coached”. I do understand that there will be fierce criticism of England for leaving a tournament at this early stage and not living up to the expectations and the hopes that we engendered, with some good performances before the tournament and in the early matches.
He added: “We had a team meeting yesterday where me and [joint coach] Heimir Hallgrimsson were playing devil’s advocate and trying to get the players back down to earth because whatever is happening around us we have to deal with it”.
“It’s a fact of life, one particularly bad game has caused a lot of damage to me personally, to the team and to the team going forward”, he said.
He was backed by outgoing manager Hodgson, who said: “I don’t have a problem with it”. To wait a few months – if that’s what we had to do – would be the right decision.
And when questioned about where the FA go from here, Glenn said: “We will be looking for the best person for the job”.
“We’d like to get one for the first World Cup qualifier, but if we won’t we have an interim plan in mind”.
With the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation set to commence this autumn, time is of the essence for England but there is a feeling that Southgate is sufficiently qualified to bridge the gap for 12 months. I don’t think it is reasonable to have every “i” dotted and “t” crossed on this one. You freeze and stop doing those things you know you should be.
“It has to be the best person for the job”, he said.
England captain Wayne Rooney should retire from global duty after the Three Lions’ Euro 2016 exit, according to former Germany worldwide Lothar Matthaus.
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The former Liverpool midfielder said England’s players were gripped by panic when they went down to Iceland, exposing a fragility built on repeated failures at major tournaments. “I thought my statement last night was sufficient”. I think I’m leaving behind a good group of players.
