It's August 22, 2025, 03:26:42 PM
Lineker backs O'Neill for England BBC presenter Gary Lineker believes the Football Association should appoint former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill as coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor. O'Neill, 53, left Celtic to spend more time with his sick wife Geraldine. Lineker, writing in his Sunday Telegraph column said: "I don't know whether he would be interested in the job, but he's perfectly qualified. "He played at the highest level and as a manager worked his way up from the bottom. FOR GOD'S SAKE HE'S A GENIUS!"Eriksson has a contract until 2008, but many believe he will quit the job immediately after Germany 2006. O'Neill has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Republic of Ireland job due to his wife's illness. If O'Neill is unavailable, former England striker Lineker thinks the Football Association could do worse than appoint Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce. "I think Pearce would be a very interesting choice," added Lineker. "Be it as a player or a manager, he has worn his heart on his sleeve. He's quite quirky as a manager, which I like. "He's also honest and dependable, and doesn't stand for any bad behaviour or arguing with referees. "Someone with those sort of credentials is just what you want in a position of power, where you have a greater responsibility to the game. "I think the best managers have always been those who instil either fear or a lot of respect in players, like Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger for example. "And Pearce is the same. I can tell you from personal experience - he's very scary to face."
Right, I actually get very pissed off about this because Sven has done nothing wrong since being in charge of England. He has led us to every major tournament that has been hosted since he has been manger and he has selected teams that any other manager in his position would of selected.He can only tell the players what to do and if they don't do it its the players faults not Svens. I honestly don't think there will ever be an England manger that will enjoy doing the job because our media criticises every single decision they make. Lets take the latest victory against Argentina for example.If we would of been beaten in that match then the headlines the next day would of been all about Svens tactics and how we are going to fail at the world cup. To me the thought of getting rid of Sven scares me because if we get rid of somebody who hasn't done anything wrong as our manager and whom I think we have lost about 5 games under then we seriously need to take a long hard look at ourselves and our media and ask whether we will ever give anybody a decent chance to take our team somewhere.Managing a country is not like managing a club. He has hardly any time with the players and we have what? something like 10 if less games a year. We can't judge him based one or two defeats during those games. Even if we went out of the world cup at the first round I still wouldn't want Sven to leave because then a new manger would come in and this would start all over again as it did with Venables and Sven. They love you, then they hate you.Sad thing is if we won the world cup every paper and person in the country would praise Sven and talk about what an excellent job he done for us. Fucking stupid.
Why should it be expected of us? Because we think we are a good side. I admit on our day we are a good team but who isn't. You're exactly right, IT IS expected of us. So if we expect to go through to every major competition then he has done FUCK ALL wrong as our manager. I have never thought for one second that we are a good enough team to win any tournament we have been in over the last 10 years.......and that remains with next years World Cup.If we expect an English manager is going to come in and we are going to win a major trophy then we are wrong. He is going to come in and face the same amount of shit that the British press throw at any manager for England. So you would get rid of Sven just because he isn't out of his seat screaming all the time. Why should he be? He tells the players what to do before and at half time during the game. He doesn't need to be standing there screaming orders at the top of his voice. Sven has done fuck all wrong but as per usual our over enthuaism with our less than average squad will drive him out of the job after we are knocked out by a better side in the World Cup. I have no doubts everyone will be calling for which ever English manager we appoint's head in about 3 or 4 years time. We are no good enough to win a major competition so why must we keep sacking and hiring managers thinking they are going to do something to improve our average team?I leave it to you.
So you would get rid of Sven just because he isn't out of his seat screaming all the time. Why should he be?
If we expect an English manager is going to come in and we are going to win a major trophy then we are wrong.
We are no good enough to win a major competition so why must we keep sacking and hiring managers thinking they are going to do something to improve our average team?
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