English coaches lack experience for top job

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will leave his post after the World Cup, having agreed a pay-off deal with the FA. Now the big question is... who will be replacing him?

The Swede's departure, after he was the victim of a sting by the Sunday tabloid News of the World, has been coming for a long time.

The press in England will never shirk a sensational story, even if they become less loyal to their country - as long as they sell their newspapers.

Yet, Eriksson was naive when he spilled the beans to someone he had never met before. If he felt the need to open his heart, compatriot and assistant Tord Grip would have listened patiently.

Nevertheless, Eriksson remains the most successful England manager the FA have had for many a year, and the English coaches in the Premiership need to gain more experience in this field.

The FA should go for another foreigner, perhaps Dutchman Guus Hiddink, and start to give Manchester City's Stuart Pearce the chance to work with the new coach.

Other news items for January:

¤ England will play Uruguay on March 1 at Anfield, then take on Hungary on May 30 and Jamaica on June 3 in other warm-up matches at the new Wembley just before flying off for the World Cup finals.

¤ Portsmouth confirm Russian businessman Alexandre Gaydamak as the club's co-owner with chairman Milan Mandaric.

¤ Scottish Cup third round shocks: Dunfermline-Airdrie 3-4, Spartans-Queen's Park 3-2, St Mirren-Motherwell 3-0, Clyde-Celtic 2-1.

¤ In the third round of the FA Cup, major upsets occur as Fulham go down at home to Leyton Orient 1-2 and Tottenham lose 2-3 at Leicester.

¤ In a Scottish Cup third round replay, Premier League side Livingston go down at home to Second Division club Alloa 1-2.

¤ Steve Staunton is the new Republic of Ireland manager, while Bobby Robson will take up a consultant's position alongside him.

¤ Rafael Benitez, of Liverpool, and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney are named Manager and Player of the Month, respectively.

¤ Championship side Reading knock top-flight team West Brom out of the third round of the FA Cup 3-2 after a replay at the Madejski Stadium.

¤ Chelsea's duo John Terry and Petr Cech, along with Steven Gerrard and Luis Garcia, of Liverpool, are named in the UEFA Team of the Year 2005. Chelsea's boss Jose Mourinho is selected as coach for the third year.

¤ After a lengthy meeting with the FA, Eriksson announces he will quit his England job after the World Cup.

¤ Manchester United announce a profit of £46 million for the year ending June 2005.

¤ Wigan, who have taken the Premiership by storm in their first season, eliminate Arsenal on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate to reach the League Cup final. It will be their first appearance in a major competition in the club's history.

¤ Former Tottenham defender Dean Richards successfully claims a record £2 million insurance pay-out after his career was cut short by illness.

¤ Manchester United join Wigan in the League Cup final, following a 3-2 aggregate victory over Blackburn.

¤ At Easter Road, Dunfermline topple Livingston 1-0 to reach the Scottish League Cup final.

¤ Chelsea announce record losses of £140 million - the biggest in football history. To claim the championship crown last season, the Blues' first title in 50 years, the club used tycoon Roman Abramovich's fortunes to fund a transfer spending of £265 million.

¤ FA Cup fourth round shocks: Brentford-Sunderland 2-1, Colchester-Derby 3-1.

¤ The second transfer window leaves clubs in a spending spree, overtaking any of the previous three seasons at this same period.