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Steve McManaman exclusive: My guide to picking the next England manager

Yahoo Sport expert - and former England star - Steve McManaman assesses the six apparent front runners to succeed Roy Hodgson

Steve McManaman exclusive: My guide to picking the next England manager

The English FA don’t seem to have any idea who will replace Roy Hodgson as England manager - and the lack of obvious contenders suggests there is no simple solution to this leadership debate.

Personally, I would like to see an Englishman given a chance to take the team forward as this job should be the pinnacle for a manager who has come through the ranks in our own country and worked his way into a position where he is considered for the top job.

The FA have stated that they will pick the best man for the job, whatever his nationality, but I look at some of the people picking the next England boss and question whether they have the experience to make the right selection. FA chief executive Martin Glenn and FA director of elite development Dan Ashworth - who are on a three-man selection committee with ex-Man Utd CEO Davis Gil - are new names to me and I have been involved in football for a long time now.

Yet when I look down the runners and riders who are being touted to succeed Hodgson now, a few candidates stand out for me.

Here is my Yahoo Sport guide to the contenders to become the next England boss, with my verdict at the end on who could do the best job.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Status: USA coach

Odds: 11/2 favourite

I do a lot of work in America and speaking to people who have followed Klinsmann’s progress as USA boss closely, I get the impression that they are disappointed by the progress he has made in his five-year reign as their national team boss.

He has played in the Premier League with Spurs, speaks good English and would be a high profile appointment, but would he be the right one? I don’t think so.

[McManaman: Worst ever England defeat will taint players for ever]

Glenn Hoddle

Status: Former England manager from 1996-99

Odds: 15/2

I work with Glenn in my role as a BT Sport pundit and when you speak to him about the game, it is clear that he still has a bright vision and a burning passion to succeed, even though he has not been a manager since leaving Wolves a decade ago.

He had problems at the back end of his spell as England boss, but I would guess that he has mellowed since then and learned from his mistakes. He also needed to improve his man management skills from his first spell as England boss - when I was one of his players - and of all the choices out there, I think he would be a wise pick to make a return now.

Sam Allardyce

Status: Sunderland manager

Odds: 8/1

Sam Allardyce’s attracts plenty of critcs and he has a tag of being a long-ball manager, but I would have not problem giving him the England job now.

The England team is crying out for an identity and clear leadership on how we should be playing and there is no doubt that would be delivered if Big Sam was the manager. We all want to play the Spanish/Barcelona way, but maybe England would thrive using different tactics and let’s be honest, winning has to be the priority after the last couple of catastrophic tournaments.

[Euro 2016: Time for Rooney to retire?]

Gareth Southgate

Status: England under-21 boss

Odds: 9/1

The FA seem to be open to the idea of Southgate taking on the role on a temporary basis until a new manager is identified, but I don’t think Gareth is qualified or ready to become England manager right now.

Southgate struggled as a club manager and while he has done okay with the England under-21s, that is a very different level of competition compared to the big time at a World Cup or a Euro finals. Maybe Gareth will be a good manager in the future, but he is not ready to be England boss.

[Redknapp slams Gary Neville, says he shouldn't be new England manager]

Harry Redknapp

Status: Former West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham boss

Odds: 12/1

I work with ‘H’ at BT Sport and like Allardyce and Hoddle, he could also be a strong contender for the post if he wants the job.

Harry seems very happy in his life right now and I’m not sure whether he would want to give all that up to become England boss, but I guess he would have to take the call if it came his way. He is experienced and great with players, so why not.

Arsene Wenger

Status: Arsenal manager

Odds: 12/1

There seems to be an FA move to get Wenger involved in some way, but I don’t see him becoming England manager.

He is coming towards the end of his management career and I’m not sure he would want to be getting involved in such a high profile job at this stage. I may be wrong, but I don’t see this one.

[Apologetic Hart "devastated" by England loss]

VERDICT

After the debacle we witnessed from England at Euro 2016, this is not a time for experiments or gambles on young coaches like Southgate or Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe.

We need to get in a coach who has a clear direction, a man who will come to the table with a plan and someone who has a track record of delivering success, whether that is in terms of trophies or stability for clubs in the Premier League.

As we see from the list above, there is no stand-out contender to take on the challenge of being England boss, but the reality must be the next man cannot do any worse than the fella who has just vacated the post.

To conclude, I would have not a problem with Glenn Hoddle, Sam Allardyce or Harry Redknapp taking on the job, but this bizarrely assembled FA panel who will make the call could end up going an entirely different route.