McClaren faces two crucial qualifiers next month

England have scaled down their schedule of friendly matches from 20 to 18 over the four-year period from 2008.

Coach Steve McClaren had made it clear that he was in favour of scrapping some in favour of longer training camps.

"I want the flexibility to be able to control when we have friendlies," said McClaren. "The key thing for me is getting more time with the players.

"If more time means get-togethers with no end result and we achieve something, yes, I would like that."

Interview: England coach Steve McClaren

The Football Association has just issued a tender document - and the 18 friendlies detailed within it will commence after Euro 2008.

"We are all one organisation and priority has to be the success of the England team," said FA director of communications Adrian Bevington.

I'm fighting hard - it's difficult under the weight of criticism but you have to take it Steve McClaren

"Executives, including chief executive Brian Barwick have already started discussing with Steve and his coaching staff the issues that have been raised."

And Bevington made it clear that all friendly fixtures are discussed with the coach in advance.

"Every international date we look at we clearly will discuss with Steve and his coaching staff to take into account what they are looking to achieve," he added.

"We have got fixtures that are almost in place for various dates at Wembley because that's part of the discussion and contracts that have been in the pipeline for some time.

"There are several dates that have been filed but certain ones that haven't."

McClaren suggested the recent friendly against Spain - which England lost 1-0 - had not been productive.

606: DEBATE This is a desperate attempt by McClaren to deflect the blame for the performance against Spain Richy 606: Have your say

"Maybe this one came at a bad time. We ended up using it as an experiment, because we didn't have seven or eight of our senior players," he added.

"The Greece friendly in August was a good one - and we needed a reaction in Holland in November, so it was important to get our best players available on that occasion."

Meanwhile, McClaren has vowed to fight back and get England's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign back on track.

The defeat to Spain last week stretched his winless run to four matches and heaped growing pressure on McClaren, who took charge last August.

"I'm fighting hard," McClaren told BBC Five Live. "Not just for myself but for the whole team.

"It's difficult under the weight of criticism but you have to take it. We are going to stick together and fight."

England's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign faltered last October when a draw with Macedonia was followed by defeat to Croatia.

The results saw them slide to third in Group E but McClaren is determined to turn things around in next month's crucial qualifiers against Israel and Andorra.

"We've had two disappointments already but you expect ups and downs in qualifying campaigns," said McClaren.

"But we have got everything we need to qualify and go into the next tournament as one of the six teams that can win it.

"We still have 24 points to play for and we will get there."