According to several british media have the FA drawn a shortlist of potential England managers. Great Dane Football Blog takes a look at the list to find 'for and against' each manager.









Arsène Wenger

             Age: 62 (22-09-1949)
    Current team: Arsenal 
    Former teams: Nancy-Lorraine, Monaco,
                  Nagoya Grampus Eight
          Titles: Monaco: Ligue 1, 
                  Copa de France
                  Nagoya Grampus Eight:
                  Emperors Cup, 
                  J-League Super Cup
                  Arsenal:  
                  FA Premier League x 3, FA Cup x 4,
                  Charity Shield/FA Community Shield x 4
Personal honours: French Manager of the Year: 2008
                  J-League Manager of the Year: 1995
                  Onze d'Or Coach of the Year 2000, 2002,
                  2003, 2004
                  FA Premier League Manager of the Year:
                  1998, 2002, 2004
                  LMA Manager of the Year: 2001-02, 2003-04
                  BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award:
                  2002, 2004
                  FWA Tribute Award: 2005
                  English Football Hall of Fame: 2006
                  Premier League Manager of the Month:  
                  March 1998, April 1998, October 2000,
                  April 2002, September 2002, August 2003,
                  Feb 2004, August 2004, September 2007,
                  December 2007, February 2011, February 2012
                  World Coach of the Decade: 2001-2010 

For: The well honoured Frenchman is the most winning manager ever in Arsenal, and perhaps Wenger could bring some of his luck and mentality to the team. Arsène Wenger joined Arsenal in 1996 and did not only revolutionise Arsenal but also English football. However,the revolution seems not to have reached the English national team.

Wenger has a long tradition of bringing talents to Arsenal and give them their breakthrough. With Wenger as manager for England, players as Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck, could perhaps take it to the next level and develop into attackers of European class.

Against: If the Football Association decides to try and get Le Professeur as manager for the England team on of the main questions will be if Arsenal is willing to let him go. Arsène Wenger is the spirit of the club, and it would probably cost a fortune to buy him free. Even if, the FA should have the luck to buy him free, I doubt Wenger is willing to leave Arsenal as it has been a life work for him and he will probably not get the same power in the FA as he has in the club.

Another question is if the national team is ready for a manager as Wenger with his attacking 4-1-4-1 formation instead of the often used 4-4-2.

Wenger as England’s next manager? I doubt it. Mostly because of his love to Arsenal and likewise the clubs love to him. Wengers football style may be more appropriate for the French national team.

José Mourinho

             Age: 49 (26-01-1963)
    Current team: Real Madrid
    Former teams: Benfica, União de Leina,
                  FC Porto, Chelsea FC,
                  Internazionale
          Titles: FC Porto: 
                  Primeira Liga x 2,
                  TaÇa de Portugal,
                  Supertaga Câdido
                  de Oliveira,
                  UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup
                  Chelsea FC: Premier League x 2, FA Cup x 1,
                  Football League Cup x 2, FA Community Shield
                  Internazionale: Serie A x 2, Coppa Italia,
                  Supercoppa Italiana, UEFA Champions League
                  Real Madrid: Copa del Rey
Personal honours: Primeira Liga Manager of the Year: 2002-03,
                  2003-04
                  FA Premier League Manager of the Year: 2004-05,
                  2005-06
                  FA Premier League Manager of the Month: 
                  November 2004, January 2005, March 2007
                  Serie A Manager of the Year: 2008-09, 2009-10
                  Albo Panchina d'Oro: 2009-10
                  Miguel Muños Trophy: 2010-11
                  UEFA Manager of the Year: 2002-03, 2003-04
                  UEFA Team of the Year Best Coach: 2003, 2004,
                  2005,2010
                  Onze d'Or Coach of the Year: 2005, 2010
                  FIFA Ballon d'Or Best Coach: 2010
                  IFFHS World's Best Club Coach of the Year:
                  2004, 2005, 2010
                  World Soccer Magazine World Manager
                  of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2010
                  CNID Best Portuguese Manager in Foreign
                  Countries: 2008-09, 2009-10
                  BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award:
                  2005
                  La Gazzetta dello Sport Man of the Year: 2010
                  International Sports Press Association
                  Best Manager in the World: 2010
  
For: José Mourinho is the manager with most titles and personal honours on the shortlist. This talks for itself. Another factor that talks for Mourinho as the new manager is that he knows English football as well as Wenger do, and he has made results with Chelsea. It is then up to one and another whether or not these results, in fact, were because of Ambramovichs money. However, Mourinho has showed before that he can get results out of nothing as he did in Porto, where he against all odds won the UEFA Champions League.

Mourinho has almost won everything possible for a club team and the chance of writing a European Championship on his C.V could be a motivating factor for him. Spanish media earlier reported that Real Madrid was on the lookout for a new manager if Mourinho did not bring a trophy to Santiago Bernabeu this season, and the manager has been spotted in London looking for housing.

Against: Mourinho has earlier said to The Sun that he his next job will be in England as he has ‘unfinished businesses'. This unfinished business could well be winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea, but he has also been reported as the next Tottenham Hotspurs manager if Harry Redknapp should take over the national team. Mourinho  has a fantastic C.V, but he also has a tarnished reputation as one of the most controversial managers. In a time where the FA struggles with racism charges against the former captain, John Terry, a controversial manager might not be the best signing.

Mourinho as England’s next manager? It is possible. Mourinho has all the qualities to bring England to the final stages of the European Championship. Mourinho would be an eminent name to lead the team, but The Football Association has to think wisely before hiring such a controversial manager.


Harry Redknapp

             Age: 65 (02-03-1947)
    Current team: Tottenham Hotspurs
    Former teams: Bournemouth,
                  West Ham United,
                  Portsmouth,
                  Southampton
          Titles: Bournemouth:
                  Football League
                  Division Three,
                  Football League Trophy
                  West Ham United: UEFA Intertoto Cup
                  Portsmouth: Football League Division One,
                  FA Cup
Personal honours: Premier League Manager of the Year: 2009-10
                  Premier League Manager of the Month:
                  April 2004, October 2004, March 2005,
                  April 2006, August 2009, September 2011,
                  November 2011

For: The shortlist’s oldest manager Harry Redknapp is not only the FAs, but also the fans, favourite to the position. The Englishman has been manager for English teams all his career but has only won two significant trophies. However, the manager has proved his worth first in Portsmouth and now Tottenham, which he has guided to the top of the Premier League. The managers experience and knowledge about English football makes him attractive for leading England. A position the Englishman has already shown his interest for. Furthermore, his coaching style matches the English squad, and he has proved that he can make something out of nothing.

Against: The fact that Redknapp has only won two significant trophies and only has been managing English clubs could be seen as a lack of international experience. This could be important in a position as national manager. Another fact is that Tottenham Hotspurs is not willing to let Redknapp go and have a £5m release clause in his contract, according to the Daily Mail. On top of that, The Football Association has to pay the remaining 15 months. 

Harry Redknapp as England’s next manager? Most likely. As mentioned, is Redknapp the favourite to the position and he is interested in taking it. The only thing that seems to block the appointment of him is the £5m release clause.

Pep Guardiola 

              Age: 41 (18-01-1971)
     Current team: Barcelona
     Former teams: Barcelona B
           Titles: Barcelona B:       
                   Tercera División
                   Barcelona:  
                   La Liga x 3,
                   Copa del Rey,
                   Supercopa de
                   España x 3,
                   UEFA Champions League x 2, UEFA Super Cup x 2,
                   FIFA Club World Cup x 2
 Personal honours: IFFHS World's Best Club Coach
                   of the Year: 2009, 2010
                   Don Balon Award for Best Coach of the Year:
                   2009, 2010, 2011
                   Onze d'Or Coach of the Year: 2009, 2011
                   Miguel Muñoz Trophy: 2008-09, 2009-10
                   World Soccer Magazine World
                   Manager of the Year: 2009, 2011
                   UEFA Team of the Year Best Coach: 2009, 2011
                   La Liga Coach of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2011
                   FIFA Ballon d'Or Best Coach: 2011

For: The shortlist’s youngest prospect is also one of the most successful. Like Wenger, Guardiola is a fan of attacking football and would  be a great name for England. Even though, he has only been managing one team on high level, he has won everything that can be won by a club team. Some of the titles more than twice. The Barcelona manager also has a flair for young players and might be able to build up a new English national team.

Guardiolas contract with Barcelona ends after this season, and he can thereby sign with England for free.

Against: Guardiola might not be ready to manage a national team and he has been linked with Mexican club Chivas. However, it is more likely that he will sign a new contract with Barcelona. It would be a great task for Guardiola to take the position. However, if he fails with England, his chances as Spanish national manager in the future might distant. Another question is if the FA can afford to bring such a prominent name and his salary to England and if there is enough prestige in it for the young manager.

Guardiola as England’s next manager? Not a chance! This is a longshot from the Football Association. Guardiola is young and it might be too early for him to take charge of a national team. I believe that we will see the manager in Barcelona a few years longer.


Roy Hodgson

             Age: 64 (09-08-1947)
    Current team: West Bromwich Albion
     Former team: Carshalston
                  Athletic,
                  Halmstad,
                  Bristol City,
                  Oddevold, Örebro,
                  Malmö FF,
                  Neuchâtel Xamax,
                  Switzerland,
                  Internazionale, Blackburn Rovers,
                  Grashopper, FC Copenhagen, Udinese, 
                  United Arab Emirates, Viking, Finland, Fulham,
                  Liverpool
          Titles: Halmstad: Allsvenskan x 2
                  Malmö FF: Allsvenskan x 5, Svenska Cupen x 2
                  FC Copenhagen: Danske Superliga, Danske Super
                  Cup
Personal honours: LMA Manager of the Year: 2010

For: The most experienced manager when it comes to national teams. Roy Hodgson has been in charge of not less than three nations and a couple of teams in Europe. The international experience could be useful for England, and Hodgson do know the English players and league as the back of his hand. Another factor is that the manager often uses a 4-4-2 formation he can use on the national team.

Against: Roy Hodgson might not be the most prominent name to lead the team. He has a lot of experience but, the Allsvenskan and Danske Superliga titles do not  ring a bell for the fans. His great period at Fulham followed up by his miserable stay at Liverpool FC might also scare the FA from hiring him.

Hodgson as England’s next manager? Most unlikely. Hodgson must be one of the last on the shortlist. He has the experience, but that is pretty much it. His career has been like a rollercoaster, and I believe that the Football Association will be taking a chance by hiring Hodgson.

Stuart Pearce

              Age: 49 (24-04-1962)
     Current team: Great Britain Olympic
                   England (Caretaker)
                   England U21
     Former teams: Nottingham Forest
                   (Caretaker),
                   Manchester City
           Titles: None
 Personal honours: None

For: Stuart Pearce has taken the role as caretaker until a new manager is found and has already said that he is interested in being a permanent manager at some point. He is appointed as manager for the Great Britain Olympics team and is in charge of the England U21. He knows the system from the inside. The fact that he is in charge of the U21 team, makes him aware of whom is going to be the next players to represent England, and he will be able to build the team up as he wants it.

 Against: It might be too early for Stuart Pearce to be managing a national team on this level. Given that he has only managed two club teams through out his career makes me think that he might need a bit more experience.

Pearce as England’s next manager? Likely. If the FA fails to sign Redknapp and Pearce makes some convincing results, he might be able to keep the position. However, I still think it is too early for him. 

So, who is it going to be? Only the FA knows, but Harry Redknapp is most likely to be the next manager. Arsène Wenger looks hard to sign as he will not leave Arsenal for any price. José Mourinho and Pepe Guadiola are out of the picture. Mainly because Mourinho is more likely to return to Chelsea while Guadiola just sounds too good to be true. If The Football Association fails to sign Redknapp, Stuart Pearce might be the next manager as he, as mentioned, is already a part of the system. Finally, Roy Hogdson will only be hired if anything else fails.