August 16 - Macca has us believing

AS false dawns go, this one was a belter.

The appointment of Steve McClaren as England manager was the most underwhelming piece of news England fans had had since Michael Rickets was called up to the squad.

Brian Barwick, chief suit at the FA, had made a right hash of the selection process for Sven’s successor, with his insistence that the position be filled before the 2006 World Cup putting the kybosh on any chance of Big Phil Scolari taking the job.

Barwick then inexplicably ignored Martin O’Neill and instead plumped for the man who had been the monkey to Sven’s organ grinder.

You could almost hear the country collectively sigh with disappointment when Second-Choice Steve was announced as the new man who would make the Three Lions roar.

Aware that he was not a universally popular choice, Macca set about trying to win over hearts and minds, firstly by drafting in twinkle-eyed crooner Terry Venables as his number two, and then employing publicity guru Max Clifford to help mould his media image.

Today in 2006 McClaren faced his first test as England’s latest saviour when his side played Greece in a friendly at Old Trafford.

Eager to put distance between himself and his predecessor, McClaren had made a series of high profile decisions designed to persuade everyone that this was an entirely new and dynamic regime. He dropped many of Sven’s trusted old guard including David Beckham, Sol Campbell and David James, and promised he would finally solve the tactical Rubik’s Cube that is playing Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the same midfield.

To the surprise of well, us for starters, and probably quite a few others, it all seemed to work. With Owen Hargreaves anchoring the midfield and Stevie G replacing Beckham on the right wing, England looked balanced and lively against Greece, eventually running out 4-0 winners to give McClaren the perfect start to his tenure with new captain John Terry opening the scoring, before Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch added the rest.

Even the fans were convinced and chanted Steve McClaren’s name during the match. Sure, it was only Greece, but they were European champions at the time, and the old boys club of BBC pundits trotted out the you-can-only-beat-what’s-in-front-of-you line. Lee Dixon said: “It was a poor Greece side, but you can only go out and beat what’s in front of you.” See, told you.

Oh how we rejoiced. Finally an end to the insipid displays under Sven, finally some purpose to the England team, it would all be different from now on.

Erm, not quite. After the Greece game, vice captain Stevie G said: “We have set the standards and now we have to maintain them.”

Sadly, that was not to be and it all started to fall apart in the Euro 2008 qualifier away at Croatia where a Venables-inspired switch to 3-5-2 proved disastrous as England lost 2-0. After a couple of uninspiring friendlies, England drew 0-0 with Israel and at the following game with Andorra McClaren was subjected to vicious abuse from England fans. He had come into the job without the usual honeymoon period afforded to most new managers, but by now the relationship had broken down entirely and divorce looked a distinct possibility.

Stretched marriage metaphors aside, Macca’s fate was sealed when England lost to Croatia at Wembley in November, ensuring the only English involvement at Euro 2008 would be Colin Kazim-Richards and referee Howard Webb.

The whole time he was stood underneath that ill-advised umbrella, McClaren must have been thinking back to this day in 2006 when 70,000 fans were chanting his name.

Here is Crouchino bagging his second, and England’s fourth in the win over Greece. This is what we were telling you about this time last year, and tomorrow we will be looking at a man-mountain returning to his spiritual home.

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