Tuesday 28 June 2016 00:44, UK
Steve McClaren believes the fall-out from England's humiliating Euro 2016 exit to Iceland will be "enormous".
Roy Hodgson's side bowed out of the tournament with a chastening 2-1 defeat at the hands of the lowest ranked side left in the draw, despite taking the lead through Wayne Rooney's fourth-minute penalty.
Iceland roared back as Ragnar Sigurdsson fired the minnows level less than two minutes later before Kolbeinn Sigthorsson turned the game on its head (18) but England failed to threaten a fightback to spare their blushes, the humbling prompting Hodgson to quit.
McClaren - whose own England tenure came to an end after a miserable defeat to Croatia that cost them a place at Euro 2008 - said the current crop had collapsed and the team's "utter failure" would have widespread ramifications.
"The opening minutes they showed what they were capable of doing and then they completely disintegrated," said McClaren, speaking as a guest on Sky Sports News HQ.
"The second goal killed them. There was a lack of leadership and experience; no confidence, no trust in each other. You could see the team had no belief. Everyone was playing as individuals at the end. The players were so disappointing.
"It was a very average Iceland team that plays to their strengths. Tactically they're very good but they're a throwback in terms of how they play the game and we weren't used to it. It was the simplest gameplan but it was executed by players who believed in it, trusted in it and didn't veer from it.
"They've had a memorable win and the repercussions of this are going to be enormous.
"I never expected it - never in a million years. But the fourth game exposed England and there's going to be an inquest about everything - players, set-up, the way we go forward. Surely now we have an opportunity where we sit back and say: 'What exactly is our problem and what do we need to do to go forward?'"
McClaren believes England have paid for their lack of top-level experience and for all the perceived promise in their ranks are still lacking game-changers.
"The Premier League is one level, playing in Europe is another and playing in international football is a level above. That's where you need your composure. It's totally different on the international stage with the expectations," he added.
"England have come a long way over the last few years - people said we weren't very good technically but we've dominated possession in lots of games. What we've failed to do is in the final third; breaking down packed defences.
"We've been unable to make changes and we've not developed players who - in an instant - produced a piece of magic that can win a game."
Hodgson walked straight down the tunnel at the final whistle, before telling reporters in the press conference he would step down, and while McClaren - sacked by England in 2007 - empathised with the 68-yer-old, he questioned some of his calls in France.
"I've made that walk down the tunnel, thinking how can you go on," McClaren said. "He would have been thinking that, the whole nation would have been thinking that.
"It's failure, it's absolute failure. I've been there, I've had it. You never get over it. Its always there, in the back of your mind, mentioned in the street. It's a tough job but ultimately it's the manager's responsibility.
"He made all those changes against Slovakia but he didn't really know his best XI going into the tournament. When you've won all your games in qualifying, you've got to know you best team."
England's U21 boss, Gareth Southgate, is the early favourite to succeed Hodgson but McClaren urged the Football Association to consider a manager with tournament experience.
"I've no problem with young English managers but this job is for an experienced manager who knows what tournament football is all about," McClaren said.
"It takes European experience; someone in the ilk of a Guus Hiddink - potentially even short-term - perhaps. Gary Neville has had great experience - we can't discard that but let's use rugby as our model with a experienced, successful man in Eddie Jones and a programme underneath him where we can develop coaches.
"I think we have the raw material to work with, I just think we've failed when it coming to how to win football matches; coaching players how to win, how to take risks. Certain issues will need to be addressed by the FA when it comes to coaching courses. The next manager coming in will need a lot of help."
