As a keen follower of football I have been watching with interest the unseemly haste in the coronation of Harry Redknapp as the next England manager. It is my view that the best manager in the Premier league is Sir Alex Ferguson but it is well documented that as a rabid Scot he would refuse to take the job.

Next in line in terms of ability would be Arsene Wenger who has produced an Arsenal side that at times plays some beautiful football, technically gifted if somewhat inconsistent. However I doubt he would accept the chalice.

Both the above are also getting on and if the FA really wants to plan for the future they should take a punt on a young manager. My choice would be Nigel Clough of Derby County who has worked wonders at that club on a financial shoestring. He also has his father’s steel character hidden beneath an affable manner (so that will probably exclude him).

Therefore the FA old guard will probably go for St Trinian’s Flash Harry.