McClaren bullish on England future ahead of crunch clashes
Should Russia overcome Israel 24 hours after McClaren’s side tackle Austria in a Vienna friendly on November 16, England will miss out on a major tournament for the first time since the 1994 World Cup.
That would leave McClaren clinging to his job, hoping the key decision-makers within the FA take the same lenient view as they did with Bobby Robson when his team missed out on the European Championships in 1984.
McClaren accepts mistakes were made in the early weeks of his reign, not least the two dropped points at home to Macedonia 13 months ago.
However, in pointing to a succession of impressive results this year, and the sheer bad luck which contributed to the telling defeat in Russia last month which has left England’s fate in the hands of others, McClaren virtually pleaded to be spared the sack.
“I believe we are one of the best two teams in the group and our performances over the last eight months have proved it,” he said.
“We did struggle to find our confidence and rhythm over those first six or seven months and we took some hits, the biggest of which was against Macedonia.
“Since then we have come together as a team. Our attitude has been great, our performances have been good and our football has been good.
“We have had five 3-0 wins, we had 70 minutes against Russia when we were in control.
“The game plan was working well and we were 20 minutes away from qualifying. Things out of our control changed that.”
McClaren is referring to the incorrect penalty call that went against Wayne Rooney in the Luzhny Stadium last month which launched Russia towards a comeback win which leaves Guus Hiddink’s men in such a positive position and, by its nature, McClaren in a negative one.
England must hope Israel can get a positive result against Russia and then beat Croatia themselves at Wembley on November 21, Captain John Terry’s recovery from a knee injury has taken too long for him to be considered. With Rio Ferdinand suspended, McClaren is without his first-choice central defensive partnership, although the recall of David Beckham provides experience.
England squad: Robinson (Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa); Richards (Man City), P Neville (Everton), Brown (Man Utd), Campbell (Portsmouth), Lescott (Everton), A Cole (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea), Shorey (Reading); Beckham (LA Galaxy), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Bentley (Blackburn), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Barry (Aston Villa), J Cole (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Hargreaves (Man Utd), Young (Aston Villa); Owen (Newcastle), Rooney (Man Utd), Crouch (Liverpool), Smith (Newcastle), Defoe (Tottenham).
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