Barwick states England coach plan

Barwick wants to make an appointment quickly

Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick wants to appoint England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor before this summer's World Cup.

Eriksson, 57, will leave after the tournament after five years in the job.

"What we have is the opportunity to get that person in place, hopefully, before the World Cup," said Barwick.

"And if the upside of that is they can watch the side they inherit in August with a sense of semi-distant ownership then it may well be an advantage."

Runners and riders for the England job

He added: "I don't think there's any chance at all of that person being involved directly within the inner sanctum of Sven's set-up - unless they are already in it of course."

English managers Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley, Steve McClaren, Stuart Pearce and Paul Jewell have all been mentioned as candidates.

Next Thursday there is an FA board meeting and the recruitment of the next England coach will be on the agenda Brian Barwick

Middlesbrough boss McClaren is already involved in the England coaching set-up and has been mentioned as a possible contender for the job.

But Barwick insisted the FA were keeping an open mind about the appointment and said: "I have absolutely no doubt that some English managers will apply."

Asked if any would be capable of doing the job, Barwick replied: "Yes, of course."

The FA and Eriksson agreed this week to part company after the World Cup following the controversy generated after an undercover 'sting' by the News of the World newspaper on the Swede.

If the FA decides to appoint another foreign manager to follow Eriksson, Guus Hiddink, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Fabio Capello could be in the running.

The two things are pretty significantly divorced Barwick on fears England's World Cup preparations could be overshadowed by the search for a new boss

Barwick will get the process of bringing in a new national team coach underway next week when he discusses a suitable strategy for making the appointment.

"Next Thursday there is an FA board meeting and the recruitment of the next England coach will be on the agenda," said Barwick.

"I hope to put to the board a procedure for their consideration.

"In the past what has been a practical way for the FA to do this is to call on some of the experienced heads around the FA, create a small group and, with the chief executive leading, to go for and find the appropriate person.

"The process won't probably be in place for a week or a fortnight and after that we do have some time to make the right call.

"We can afford to be patient and try and make the right judgement call and use the time we have in our favour."

Owen fears World Cup distraction

Michael Owen voiced concerns that the search for England's new manager could overshadow the national side's preparations for the World Cup.

But Barwick insisted: "It's easy to divorce the two. There is constant speculation because the press will return to this subject and I fully expect, realise and respect that this is a good story.

"But I hope it won't - there's no way and reason why it should. The two things are pretty significantly divorced."