Under-fire England boss Steve McClaren is still thinking positively and hopes Israel can do his team a favour.
England boss hoping for favour from Israel
Under-fire England boss Steve McClaren is still thinking positively and hopes Israel can do his team a favour.
England's Euro 2008 qualification is now out of their hands following their 2-1 loss to Russia on Wednesday.
McClaren is left to hope Russia slip up in their final two games in Israel and Andorra next month - and particularly the game in Tel Aviv on 17th November.
Otherwise it is widely predicted he will get the axe, although he still believes he has something to offer in the job.
Building
McClaren said: "I thought I was equipped for the job at the beginning, I thought it after five games, half-way through, three-quarters of the way through and I feel that now.
"We are building something. People can see that. It is for other people judge whether I deserve more time.
"I enjoy the job. They are a great set of players to work for and the spirit has been excellent all the way through.
"The momentum has built up as we have gone on. Unfortunately, we have just lost that momentum."
McClaren knows the pressure is now on, but he said defiantly: "I will deal with it as I have dealt with everything else.
"This is a big job. It is a high pressure job. I feel as if whatever has come at me, I have handled. We have all handled it and we have come through it. You can see that.
"We all want to achieve. It is my job to make sure we do."
Hope
But he continues to hope Russia slip up in Israel, where England themselves could not get a win in this qualifying campaign.
"It doesn't feel like the end of the line because it isn't," said McClaren. "We just have to hope Israel's approach is right and they get the result we want.
"It is out of our hands but we live in hope."
