Well, that was quick. Sam Allardyce’s tenure as England manager lasted just 67 days and one competitive match. Big Sam dug his own grave though. The former Premier League manager was entangled in a lengthy sting operation dealing with a litany of FA violations and UEFA and FIFA rules circumvention. The video of the seedy dealings, along with some less than favorable comments regarding Gary Neville and Roy Hodgson, ended up online and Allardyce’s resignation wasn’t too far behind. This brutal ordeal has left the Three Lions in a bit of a conundrum as they try to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Allardyce wasn’t the man for the long haul, but changing managers twice in what equates to one international cycle is a terrible sign. Gareth Southgate will coach England the next four games, but where do they go from there?
GARETH SOUTHGATE
Southgate will be the caretaker manager, but he is also the odds on favorite by bookmakers (6/5*) at the moment. The former England U21 and Middlesbrough boss wants the job ultimately. But the man himself has said that he may not be quite ready for the lead gig just yet. Still, he’s had great success with the youth. He’s led the U20’s to the Toulon Tournament crown and the U21’s to European Championship qualification. Southgate is a safe choice, but he may not be the sexy name that the FA and England fans crave. Neither was Allardyce, but a complete 180 may be what they have to do to erase this debacle from the collective English consciousness.
STEVE BRUCE
The “next man up” could be Steve Bruce. Bruce was one of the final candidates during the FA’s last coaching search, yet this time Bruce is unattached. The former Manchester United defender left his post at Hull City in the summer under ignominious circumstances. But that fallout with ownership could be England’s gain. Bruce has been in management since his final season as a player, but never on an international level. The FA may want to act fast though if the 3/1 pick Bruce is their first choice. The 55 year old has been rumored for every potential job opening in England, including drop candidates Stoke City and West Ham United.
ALAN PARDEW
As per the usual, the candidate who is the toughest read is Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew. Pardew has made it abundantly clear that he covets the England managerial post. However, he has rebuilt Palace in his own image, a project he won’t abandon without good reason. In the day or so since Allardyce’s dismissal/resignation, Pardew has gone from the favorite to as low as sixth favorite (10/1) in the eyes of the betting public. He’s never been one to show his hand before he’s ready to play, so these shifts should continue over the coming months. If he does take the job though, you can expect a wildly different playing style for the Three Lions.
EDDIE HOWE
Howe is the option that intrigues England fans the most. The 38 year old Bournemouth manager has done wonders with the Cherries, and has the utmost respect throughout the country. But, while Howe may be flattered by his link with the job, he seems more focused on keeping Bournemouth afloat in the Premier League. That is probably the better choice if his coaching trajectory is to remain pointing upwards. The England job could be poisoned fruit for a man who many believe will be in charge of one of the nation’s top clubs in the next half decade.
GLENN HODDLE
If a new man isn’t in the cards, how about a former manager? Glenn Hoddle is one of the best managers in England’s history in terms of winning percentage. His 60% mark ranks only behind Sir Alf Ramsey and Fabio Capello in history (and Allardyce too if you want to count his reign). But like Allardyce, Hoddle has found himself with his foot in his mouth on the job before. His insensitive comments about people with disabilities torpedoed his support. Poor results forthwith made it even easier to give him the sack. Will the nation and the FA forgive and forget?
GARY NEVILLE
During the Roy Hodgson regime, the thought was that Gary Neville was to be his successor. But Neville went to Spain with Valencia, and that all changed. Neville was back in his pundit’s chair much earlier than expected, and his shock hiring and firing in La Liga has left a sour taste in many an England fan’s mouth. Gary may have to take a lesser job than that of the Three Lions to rebuild his CV. Then again, Allardyce didn’t have a reputation for doing much more than keeping teams up before his appointment. Stranger things have happened.
JURGEN KLINSMANN
By far the most interesting candidate of them all, outside of the wild cards that we’ll get to shortly, is Jurgen Klinsmann. Sure the English public may not be too keen at taking the United States’ footballing leftovers, but Klinsmann’s charisma could easily sway them. If England look towards an outsider, Klinsmann will be at the top of that list. The former Germany head man was on the shortlist to replace Hodgson in the summer. Jurgen ultimately stayed in power with the US Men’s National Team. As a result, England may need to prepare a Godfather offer that he can’t refuse to have the German rehabilitate the Three Lions image.
WILD CARDS
As with any job, the longshots for a managerial post are the most fun to throw about. Several current Premier League managers have popped up on the radar including Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger (10/1), West Ham’s Slaven Bilic (28/1), and Leicester City’s Claudio Ranieri (33/1). It would send shockwaves if Sir Alex Ferguson (50/1), David Beckham (66/1), or Eric Cantona (100/1) emerged from the dark horse pool.
In the end, England is once again a mess. I suggested that they were taking a step back with Sam Allardyce’s hiring. It was a bigger one than anyone could have imagined. Who’s next? That answer needs to be a well through out one.
(*All odds via Skybet)