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Roy Hodgson should not be sacked - ex-FA chairman Bernstein

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Roy Hodgson, David Bernstein

England manager Roy Hodgson should not be sacked if his team fail to make the 2014 World Cup finals, says ex-Football Association chairman David Bernstein.

After March's England are second in qualifying group H, two points behind the Montenegrins.

England play Moldova at Wembley on 6 September, followed by a tough trip to Ukraine four days later.

"I want Roy to develop players and get continuity over at least a four-year period," Bernstein said.

Bernstein, who was replaced as FA chairman by Greg Dyke in July, says Hodgson's position is part of a long-term project, reaching beyond the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, through to the 2016 European Championship in France.

He added: "Not making Brazil would be a grave disappointment but I really hope Roy is able to see things through at least until the European Championship.

"It's really important that we have continuity and stability with the manager's position."

Hodgson took over as England manager in May 2012, following Fabio Capello's departure.

In 10 competitive matches, Hodgson's England are unbeaten, with five wins and five draws - although they were defeated in a penalty shoot-out by Italy at Euro 2012. His team's only loss was 4-2 to Sweden in a friendly in November 2012.

After the Ukraine trip, England play Montenegro on 11 October, then Poland four days later, with both games at Wembley.

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121 comments

  • Comment posted by U14111780, at 13:02 18 Aug 2013

    There hasn't been any continuity between England managers, with too much chopping & changing in managerial philosophy.

    If there was a bit more continuity then maybe the national team management would have a little more confidence in stating why England is failing to produce technically competent & highly skilled young English players ... despite having a league system dominated by billionaires.

  • Comment posted by John, at 13:18 18 Aug 2013

    Quite right too.
    For too long we have blamed successive managers for the national teams lack of results.
    It is time for the F.A to be answerable for they're low expectations. Lots of dead wood could be cleared in the F.A.

  • Comment posted by doug, at 14:48 18 Aug 2013

    I don't care if we don't qualify for tournaments as long as young English talent is being developed, this will give a better chance of success in the long run. We also need policies that financially hit clubs if a certain % of academy players aren't English.

  • Comment posted by David, at 13:52 18 Aug 2013

    England are just not good enough, no matter who takes this "England chalice" they are going to need every bit of strength to win a tournament & that's just it, the law of averages kicks in.

  • Comment posted by Eat_The_Rich, at 15:19 18 Aug 2013

    It's about realism. England fans cannot expect their current crop of player to get beyond the last 16. However equally England should not expect to come third in the weak qualifying group they are in. Personally I think England made a big mistake letting Capello go, he did all that could be expected with what he had at his disposal.

  • Comment posted by bungle99, at 15:07 18 Aug 2013

    Hodgson only got the players that are available to him. We have no world class out and out strikers so we play Rooney as default who then spends half the time in our half miles from goal(Lineker,Owen, Greaves or Shearer wouldn't). Center backs are average at best young and old. Keeper is ok when on form and Ox and clev look like they can kick on.Lampard great still but how long has he left.

  • Comment posted by Robbie Savages barber , at 14:57 18 Aug 2013

    Surely it should depend on performance as much as results?

    If Gerrard and Rooney continue to get picked by default, and continue to play badly, then whose fault is it?

    Get real Bernstein!

  • Comment posted by U15618491, at 14:14 18 Aug 2013

    Sack the players !

  • Comment posted by U15410283, at 22:23 18 Aug 2013

    IT IS THE CURSE OF THE GAME OF FOOTBALL THAT AT ALL THE LEVELS OF ADMINSTRATION;- FIFA, UEFA, THE FA, THE PREMIER LEAGUE, THE GAME IS RUN BY BORING OLD MEN IN SUITS WHO HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE, EXCEPT HOW TO PERSONALLY RETAIN POWER;- POLITICIANS IN OTHER WORDS!

  • Comment posted by U14497153, at 21:58 18 Aug 2013

    Continuity doesn't come from keeping one manager around a bit longer. It comes from having a coherent vision at all levels of the game, and a set of principles, and sticking to that. Hodgson is an old-school, cautious, and not very inspiring manager. But the deeper rot is with an FA that have no idea of where they want English football to go and no courage to take it there even if they did.

  • Comment posted by Y0U, at 21:31 18 Aug 2013

    The national team has struggled since removing Venables, since then there has been no continuity, no set playstyle imposed from top to bottom, and the youth system has allowed to go to waste whilst the FA don't address it.

    The FA need someone who will bring coordination to the national side whilst creating a youth system that will produce technically gifted players.

  • Comment posted by Jay, at 19:52 18 Aug 2013

    @92. Brian Clough had lots of charisma, I wouldn't say he had class, but not many 'old school' managers do/did.

  • Comment posted by Jim Upton, at 12:52 19 Aug 2013

    If Hodgson fails to qualify for Brazil he shouldn’t be sacked, he should be shot. And Bernstein should be shot too.

  • Comment posted by Jim Upton, at 12:24 19 Aug 2013

    It was Bernstein who forced Capello to resign - after he had qualified for EURO 2012 - and replaced him with Hodgson, who proceeded to undo all of Capello’s good work.

    The only reason Bernstein doesn’t want Hodgson sacked after just 18 months in the job, even if he fails again, is because it would reflect badly on Bernstein himself and the disastrous job he did as FA chairman.

  • Comment posted by Sirrantsalot, at 09:41 19 Aug 2013

    I feel England are getting back to a position they were in 20 years ago. Good enough to qualify, good enough to beat the 'smaller' nations, but not good enough to win tournaments. This is a good thing. Once all the hype and BS of the last 10-15 years ago has been stripped away, maybe we can get back to genuinely supporting the team and being happy if we push Brazil/Spain/Germany in a game.

  • Comment posted by J_Murphy123, at 02:33 19 Aug 2013

    Glenn Hoddle.

  • Comment posted by maximusmoon, at 23:08 18 Aug 2013

    I am not a fan of Hodgson or his managerial style but changing managers won't make much difference. In premiership teams we are always talking about strength in depth, there's a reason why Man U, Man City and Chelsea are at the top of the Prem and can win silverware in Europe because they have a large squad of top players. England rely on on 3 or 4 top players and that's not enough.

  • Comment posted by Stephen Marsh, at 22:32 18 Aug 2013

    Hodgson is still the right man for the job imo not least because there aren't many if any better candidates unless the FA give it to a recently retired player like Becks..

    Roy can't help it that our players haven't always performed for England as they have for their clubs..

    We're still favourites to qualify in my book, no matter what the haters may try and claim..

  • Comment posted by U14998231, at 19:38 18 Aug 2013

    I remember Souness saying a while ago that he didn't fancy another crack at management due to the amount of overpaid egos in every dressing room. He might just have hit the nail on the head over the problems facing any England manager. The players no longer play for the badge and aren't nearly as good as their bank balances suggests they are.....

  • Comment posted by Linense, at 19:04 18 Aug 2013

    Bernstein Smernstein, old men in suits, 'even if England do not qualify for Brazil' dear oh dear - great job at the FA - not by him though, I mean if you could get it, which begs the question of Greg Dyke's appointment?

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