Tuesday 6 September 2016 13:40, UK
New Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has welcomed Sam Allardyce's winning start as England manager and praised his enthusiastic approach to the job.
Allardyce kicked off his reign with a last-gasp 1-0 victory over Slovakia on Sunday after replacing Roy Hodgson following England's disappointing Euro 2016 campaign.
Clarke believes there is still a lot of work to do before England make it to the summit of the world game, though, and he has refused to specify a target after his predecessor Greg Dyke set his sights on winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
"I think that we are now on the bottom of the staircase of recovery," Clarke told Sky Sports News HQ. "You don't appoint a new manager, who is largely working with the same players, and achieve an overnight transformation.
"I went to Slovakia with very realistic expectations. I think in Sam Allardyce we have a really, really good manager, but he has had a week with those players and getting a win was a great start, but there is a long way to go and Sam's the right guy to take us there.
"The one thing Sam is not short of is character. He is a larger than life enthusiast for the game who has spent his life in the game and wants to make it better. And that enthusiasm and confidence and belief is transmitting itself to the players.
"I draw energy for Sam, he's an energetic guy who just attacks every problem and knocks it down and moves on to the next one.
"He's very positive, it's just that he needs time to succeed. He's had a week with the players, he has won his first game and we will move on from there."
The win in Slovakia has given England a strong start in their bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and Clarke is keen for the team to make their mark in the finals, if they do qualify, although he insists winning the tournament is not the main priority.
He added: "I don't think anybody can be satisfied with an FA that doesn't have an England team that's very competitive in international tournaments.
"You can never promise to win this tournament or that tournament, but you have got to go there, you have got to compete and do well and make the country proud of you.
"I remember England in 1990 in Italy under Bobby Robson. We got knocked out in the semi-finals on penalties after playing really well and no one was complaining. It was great, we competed, we could have won it and everyone was proud of the team.
"So it's not about winning tournaments - it's going there winning games, being competitive and making the nation proud of you."
Captain Wayne Rooney made his 116th international appearance against Slovakia to become England's most-capped outfield player and Clarke paid tribute to the Manchester United forward, although he refused to be drawn into the debate over his starting position.
"Wayne Rooney has done wonders over the years," he said. "He has been an excellent servant and has got an amazing number of caps.
"He's a character and a personality and he is an asset to Sam's team [but] where he plays on the pitch is up to Sam. Whether he is picked or not is up to Sam, but he's certainly an asset to the England squad."
