The Football Association marked the end of Steve McClaren's disastrous reign as England coach by launching a scathing attack on the so-called "golden generation" of players who have failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
The governing body is prepared to wait until the end of the season before unveiling a replacement, with the 12-man FA board committed to making a "root and branch examination of the whole England senior set-up" in the interim. Yet the new incumbent will inherit a squad of players who appear to have lost the faith of senior figures on the board.
"There are clearly issues to be addressed around the structure of the senior England team," said Lord Mawhinney, the chairman of the Football League and a board member. "We've talked about the manager today. We haven't talked about the players and the ability of the players to deliver and to deliver under pressure.
"It was Steve McClaren who said he'd be judged by the results. The results haven't been very impressive. Last night [the 3-2 defeat to Croatia] wasn't very impressive," Mawhinney continued. "I've been brought up over the last few years believing that this was the 'golden generation', but I have to tell you that if this is the golden generation, the sooner we move away from the gold standard the better."
That moniker was originally coined by Adam Crozier, then chief executive of the FA, though it has steadily weighed heavier on an underachieving England squad. McClaren, like his predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson, never came close to realising the current group's potential - expressed so regularly in domestic and European football - though, by failing to qualify for a major finals for the first time since the 1994 World Cup, England have now plumbed new depths.
The search for a successor to McClaren, whose sacking was confirmed in an early-morning telephone call yesterday, will initially be solely conducted by the FA's chief executive, Brian Barwick. He is understood to favour a move for the Aston Villa manager, Martin O'Neill, although early indications suggest that the 55-year-old is not keen on the job. Barwick will pursue a rigorous recruitment process, involving consultations with senior figures within the game, before reporting back to the FA board with his final recommendation.
England's absence from Euro 2008 will cost the FA around £5m, with McClaren picking up a further £2.5m in severance pay constituting one year's salary, though the damage to the national side's prestige and standing will be more significant.
The board's decision was delivered unanimously - the Ipswich chairman David Sheepshanks and Roger Burden, chairman of the Gloucestershire FA, missed the meeting which convened at 8.30am yesterday due to prior commitments - with all eight voting members present having made up their minds overnight following the defeat to Croatia.
They were similarly united in their decision to sack McClaren's assistant, the former England head coach, Terry Venables, with the chairman, Geoff Thompon, admitting he was "embarrassed" by the side's failure to qualify.
Sir Dave Richards, vice-chairman of the FA and chairman of the Premier League, admitted some culpability in appointing the pair in the summer of 2006. "I was involved and I have a responsibility for that," he said. "If it's necessary for me not to be involved in the process this time around, that's fine. I accept that I have played a part in England's failure. I made it very public that I wanted an English manager. I thought that Steve could do this job and build a team that everyone would be proud of. But I can't sit here today and hold my head up high after last night's performance."
The FA will attempt to ensure similar mistakes, such as those which dogged the selection process last time around, will not be repeated, with Barwick insisting he will "lead from the front" in the quest to find a replacement. He confirmed the candidate's nationality would not be an issue and will consult leading managers in the domestic game. McClaren has offered an input into the FA's inquiry, if required. England are to play Switzerland and France in friendlies in the new year, with those matches likely to be overseen by the technical director, Sir Trevor Brooking.
