Terry Venables believes the job of England manager may now be better suited to a foreign candidate.
The Football Association are beginning the search for a new national team boss
after Steve McClaren - and his number two Venables - were sacked following
England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
Venables, a former England boss himself, would like to see an Englishman take
charge but feels the pressures of the job probably make looking abroad a more
sensible option.
The ex-Barcelona and Tottenham boss wrote in his column in
The Sun: 'Maybe it
is time for a foreign manager once again. I've always believed an Englishman
should manage England - if possible.
'But the job is getting more difficult. It's always been high profile but the
dissection of your every move and decision has become unbelievably intense. It's
more relentless and ruthless now than ever before.
'In some ways, it's almost easier being abroad - a manager working in a
foreign country can ultimately choose the moment when he's had enough and go
home.
'An Englishman faces the aftermath day in, day out, which means you are never
really able to live an ordinary life.
'An English manager has to think of his family's security and wellbeing here,
his kids at school and what their experience might be. They can be taunted
simply because of what their dad does and says.
'I would love an Englishman to get the job but maybe the pressure has become
so severe that it actually suits a foreign candidate more.'
Venables says there is 'no simple answer' to explaining the reasons behind
England's Euro 2008 disappointment.
England's hopes were ended as they lost 3-2 to Croatia on Wednesday night.
McClaren was sacked the following morning and Venables feels it is a shame his
16-month reign will be remembered only for what went wrong.
Venables said: 'I could point out that if ever we needed our big guns for one
big match it was on Wednesday.
'But no-one wants to be reminded right now that we had no Wayne Rooney, no
Michael Owen, no Rio Ferdinand, no John Terry.
'Instead they will point to our failures, especially against Macedonia and
Croatia away. English football is about expectancy - everyone expects results
and we didn't produce them in those two matches.
'I fear that will be Steve McClaren's legacy and the highs against Russia and
Israel at Wembley will be forever forgotten.'
