Former England manager Graham Taylor on Wednesday blasted the Football Association’s search for the next national team boss as ”pathetic”.
Taylor, who managed England from 1990 to 1994, believes the search for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s replacement, which began three months ago, has not been directed in a very professional manner.
”I think the whole selection process has been absolutely pathetic,” he said. ”It has not been professional — I don’t think it has been good at all. You have to say that egos entered into it.”
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari are reportedly the front-runners, with Bolton manager Sam Allardyce insisting he had received no indication that he was out of the running either.
”What really irritates me is not knowing who is actually doing the selecting,” said Taylor.
”If the FA bosses are talking about setting up a form of continuity — a ‘football team’ to make sure the next manager has experience — they already have that in Steve McClaren [Eriksson’s assistant].
”What we are seeing is that some of the public and the media don’t want McClaren. It would appear not everyone is in agreement at the FA.” — Sapa-AFP