The gossip concerning the future manager of the England football team seems to have stepped up a gear since Capello said he would retire after the Euros in 2012, most of it concerning Harry Redknapp. I know he's a media darling being a former West Ham boss - a favourite amongst sports journalists, and the last wide boy in Terry Venebles did quite well, but the way everyone is fawning over him when there isn't even a post available yet is rather excessive. Certainly if the post was to be available tomorrow he should not even be considered as he is too close to the present squad having nurtured and coached many of them. At a time when we are looking to move on some of the old pros after years of underachievement I remain unconvinced that Uncle 'Arry would be the right man to drop Frank Lampard let alone e.g. Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand or Peter Crouch.
   The lack of an obvious replacement means Redknapp will always be favourite at the moment but that is to ignore Stuart Pearce who is involved at the moment and has done a decent job with the under 21s. The Netherlands and Germany did not worry about previous managerial experience when appointing van Basten and Klinsmann respectively with varying degrees of success and Mark Hughes certainly left Wales with more credit than the experienced John Toshack did today and has gone on to acquit himself well at club level. Arguably Redknapp wasn't the best English manager last season if league position is the basis of assessment for as well as getting Spurs to 4th in the Premiership is Steve Maclaren guiding FC Twente to the Eredivisie title in Holland tops that. History might bar a return but a bit more experience on the continent and you never know.