Beckenbauer backs English bosses

Franz Beckenbauer believes England should not be downhearted about the fact there will be no English managers at the World Cup.

England’s current boss, Sven-Goran Eriksson, is Swedish, and there has been strong support for a Englishman to succeed him when he leaves the post after the World Cup.

“England has a legendary tradition of great football managers as well, and I’m not just talking about the past,” Beckenbauer told www.leaguemanagers.com.

“The fact that there aren’t World Cup teams with English managers doesn’t mean that your managers lack competitiveness.

“On the contrary, there are many World Cup-level managers in England.

“Nonetheless, you shouldn’t forget that you have a Swedish manager who has been doing a great job.”

Beckenbauer, president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee, led West Germany to success in the finals as a player in 1974 and as a manager in 1990 after being appointed to the job six years previously with no managerial experience.

“It was not easy to take over in 1984,” he said. “One thing is what you learn throughout your playing career and another thing is the way you transfer your experience to the managerial role.

“I knew my strengths and weaknesses, I made clear the objectives and I was lucky enough to get a fantastic group of colleagues and players around me.

“Needless to say that I was fully supported by the German FA. Now I realise that between 1984 and 1990 I improved my managerial skills. Moreover, I calmed down and didn’t get bothered any more with trifling matters.”