Get The Right Man For The Job

I think the way the FA is going about the business of finding a new manager for the England football team is flawed.

As I understand it the only real pressure in terms of time is the fierce public, and in particular media, interest. I am not aware of any important international engagements coming up which require us to have someone in place. We certainly don't need one to prepare for Euro '08 do we for goodness sake.

I was very struck when I heard Ian Holloway interviewed on Talk Sport recently. He talked about the small window of time in which he had to make major career-changing decisions when he was faced with the choice between Plymouth and Leicester.

That situation was different though. There was an imperative to get someone in and for them to hit the ground running.

In my view the FA should have just put the brakes on. They should have made it clear that they would take as long as necessary to identify the right person.

Yes there would be huge and on-going media interest. Yes everyone would moan.

And no doubt the FA would say they have to answer to the fans.

But I am certain that if you asked any English fan what they wanted they would not say an immediate decision. They would say they want the best man for the job.

And lets be honest, eventually the story would become stale and the media focus would shift. With good PR which included smoke screening and red herrings they could have taken back the power. Pursued various options. Gathered information. Sought to target who they wanted then work to get it over time.

Instead they have given away all their power. Their actions smack of desperation. Everyone now knows - or at least believes - that Mourinho was first choice and Capello second. If he turns it down then anyone else offered it starts to look like an 'also-ran'. Just what happened with McLaren.

I tell you what. I would love to get involved in running the FA. They would have to let me be in charge of course. But I am sure I could make a better fist of it than some of the current incumbents. In other words - I am the right woman for the job.

So if any of my readers have friends with influence perhaps you could have a word in the right ear.