 | KEY DATES 05/04 - FA decides on a shortlist ahead of formal interview process 10/03 - FA meets with Curbishley for informal discussions 27/02 - Three-man team report to FA chairman Geoff Thompson 02/02 - The FA appoints three-man team to find new boss 26/01 - Barwick signals intention to appoint successor before World Cup 23/01 - Eriksson reveals he will stand down after World Cup |
The Football Association's search for a successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson is down to a "secret" shortlist ahead of formal interviews. The Swede will step down after the World Cup finals in Germany this summer.
FA chief executive Brian Barwick (pictured right), international committee chairman Noel White, Premier League chairman Dave Richards and FA vice-chairman David Dein are the four men who have been appointed to find a new boss.
They will be joined in assessing the options by director of football development Trevor Brooking before reporting their findings to FA chairman Geoff Thompson.
BBC Sport rounds up the latest news and speculation surrounding the vacant England job.
5 APRIL:
And then there were three... or maybe four.
After weeks of speculation over who would take the job and a process many dubbed a "beauty contest", it is time to get real.
The informal interviews are over and Barwick has decided on a shortlist of names having spoken to a reported eight or nine managers in total.
On the "secret" list are - drum roll please - Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley, Martin O'Neill and Steve McClaren.
Off it are Fabio Capello, Guus Hiddink, Gerard Houllier, Stuart Pearce and Luiz Felipe Scolari, although there may still be a role for Pearce in the backroom staff.
So the FA has opted for the British route - although some papers claim one foreigner has made the second stage of the process.
To date only Curbishley's preliminary talks have been splashed across the papers and Barwick is keen that any future formal interviews remain secret and that anyone on the shortlist does not talk up their prospects to the press... that includes you Mr Allardyce.
So in the next few weeks any self-promoting will earn a yellow card from the FA before a final decision is made after the end of the domestic season and before the World Cup.
WHAT ARE THE MANAGERS SAYING?
Alan Curbishley:
2 April - "My meeting in March was the last time anything was said to me. As far as I am aware the FA is still talking and nothing is finalised."
Sam Allardyce:
1 April - "It's one of the biggest jobs in the world and I'm at the stage now when I think I'm ready."
Gerard Houllier:
29 March - "I have not put my name forward and I have not been interviewed."
Guus Hiddink:
24 March - "I've decided to stop as trainer with PSV at the end of this season, and that's about it."
Peter Taylor:
24 March - "My meeting was about the role, but I'm sure Alan Curbishley's meeting would have been for the role."
Fabio Capello:
24 March - "Within three years I will pack in coaching at club level and then I want to realise the dream I have always had inside me - England."
Luiz Felipe Scolari:
23 March - "I had an informal meeting with the English federation. I do not feel I am in a race to be the next England boss."
Steve McClaren:
15 March - Studiously avoided answering questions about the latest speculation surrounding the England job before his Middlesbrough team beat Roma to reach the Uefa Cup quarter-finals.
Stuart Pearce:
13 March - "England is not a distraction for me, I don't take a great deal of interest in it."
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
Send us your comments about the England manager's job using the form below and we will post a selection here. Has everybody forgotten why we got Sven in the first place? It was because the English managers weren't good enough. What has changed?
Dave Walnut, England
Give the job to Steve McClaren. He knows the set up, is a well respected coach, can motivate the players and is technically the best there is.
Adie Buck, England
Steve McCLaren is definitely not the right person for the job. He has hardly achieved anything for Middlesborough and to watch them play is utterly boring.
Steve - Letchworth, UK
The appointment of a successor to Sven, is a no-brainer. Martin O'Neill as head coach with Stuart Pearce as his assistant. Brian Clough wasn't given a chance, will his prodigies?
Adrian, Northern Ireland
How extraordinary, if true, that coaches of proven international pedigree have been omitted from the short list! The managers listed are likely to be tactically naive at the top level with the exception of Martin O'Neill. If they do not pick him it could be a Keegan fiasco all over again.
Dr Ron Sinclair, Australia
It's Big Sam for me. He's got that British Bulldog spirit and I think he'll gain the respect of the England squad.
Carol , Australia
Big Sam is not the man for the job. I think he would be tactically outwitted and he would find that international football is not as easy as he thinks. The job should go to either Martin O'Neill or Peter Taylor. They both have had plenty of exposure to international football at some level, and they both possess the proper demeanour.
John , U.S.A
Steve McClaren has been groomed for the job - he isn't Sven's assistant for nothing - he's the right man for the job with Curbishley as his No. 2
Doddy, Melton Mowbray, England
I really want to point out that having an English person for the job won't be better for England, it will be worse. Sven he has been great for England and I think Guus Hiddink, Fabio Capello, Gerard Houllier and Luiz Felipe Scorlari would be great for the job as they have turned past teams around brilliantly. Big Sam would be the best English person for the job.
Daniel, England
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