FA duo lead England coach search

Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick and FA development director Trevor Brooking will combine to search for a new England coach.

The pair are to meet after Barwick returns from Durban, where Sunday's 2010 World Cup draw is taking place.

The Premier League's top managers and ex-England boss Sir Bobby Robson are expected to be consulted to search for Steve McClaren's successor.

McClaren was sacked following England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

Interview: The FA's Adrian Bevington Interview: Former England boss Glenn Hoddle

"It's a notable departure from the committee led approach which attracted such ridicule last time out when FA officials appeared completely out of touch and step with football opinion by pursuing such an unpopular candidate," BBC Five Live football correspondent Jonathan Legard.

"If anything it is a throwback to 1994 when England last failed to qualify for a major tournament and Jimmy Armfield became the FA's kingmaker, recommending Terry Venables after widespread consultation within the game.

"This time it's the FA's top administrator that is taking the lead and Barwick's partnership with Brooking augurs well.

"Previously, the two have clashed over Brooking's plans to restructure coaching but it looks like England's failure last week has engineered some welcome unity and purpose."

Barwick insisted there was no immediate rush to land an England coach.

He said: "There is no time frame. We will not get trapped into a time frame. We will see how long it takes."

"The first thing we have got to do is concentrate on the World Cup draw, which is why we are here then take a breath, pause and move it forward.

"The concentration factor, 100 out of 100, is on the World Cup draw and when we get back home we start in earnest the recruitment of the next manager."

Former England boss Glenn Hoddle has voiced his support for Italian Fabio Capello, who says he would be interested in taking up the post, while saying Harry Redknapp is his choice if the FA want and Englishman.

"If the FA want a foreign coach then it needs to be someone who has done well at the highest level," he told Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek.

"The man who fits that description is Capello. He's my number one choice for the job.

"I feel the successful candidate must have vast experience at all levels if the FA are to opt for a foreign manager.

"I would allow Capello to bring one of his assistants in that he could work off.

"But I would have an English guy operating alongside him who would be groomed to eventually take over.

"It doesn't have to be a young man but guys like Stuart Pearce, Alan Shearer, Steve Coppell are possibilities."

Source: BBC Sport