I could get England to Russia

Apparently there was a desire to have an English manager of England when Roy Hodgson left which is why we were lumbered with Sam Allardyce.

I could just about accept that logic, but now Allardyce has gone why on earth is Arsene Wenger now among the favourites? Perhaps out-ofhis depth technical director Dan Ashworth doesn’t realise Wenger is French. And old. And no fan of English players.

Anyway me and you could manage England through a World Cup qualifying group that includes useless minnows Malta and Scotland so I wouldn’t rush to appoint anyone.

In fact I’d hire a coach just for the finals in Russia. Get Pep Guardiola or Mauricio Pochettino (right, with Wenger) to take charge for a month then. It would be good experience for them and a huge lift for the England players who have been confused and placed in strait-jackets by recent bosses.

It won’t happen of course because clipboard-carrying Ashworth is an over-promoted youth team coach and that never works out well.

I’m sure Gareth Southgate has the ability to steer us through an undemanding group, although there are two reasons I’d get shot right now and give Steve Bruce something to do for 18 months.

One, he initially selected Glen Johnson who was rubbish when he played for Liverpool and is now part of a Stoke side yet to win a game this season and leaking goals for fun.

I honestly thought Johnson had retired from football, never mind international football.

And two, Southgate’s elevation to the senior squad means Ashworth’s mate Aidy Boothroyd is now coaching England Under 21s.

What this failed Cobblers manager is doing anywhere near the England set-up is baffling. Northampton Town were bottom of the entire Football League when he left Sixfields and his next job was developing the careers of the country’s brightest young tal- ent.

It’s not what you know, but who. Cobblers, unfortunately, have thrived without the malign influence of a one-dimensional long-ball coach.

AN APOLOGY: When England quite rightly parted company with useless Roy Hodgson after the disastrous Euros campaign in the summer, I, along with other media outlets suggested Slaven Bilic would make a good replacement.

Bilic did a great job at West Ham last season. They played great football and the boss seemed like a top character, a suspicion reinforced by his entertaining punditry at the Euros.

Recent events have proved my support for Bilic to be idiotic. What was I thinking? It’s not as though he would have Dimitri Payet to bale him out in pretty much every match.

It’s only fair that anonymous Ashworth and his cohorts now apologise for their repeated errors of judgement.