Tuesday 28 June 2016 09:33, UK
There is no obvious candidate to replace Roy Hodgson as England boss, says Alan Smith, and he believes the FA should aim to appoint a home-grown coach.
England crashed out of Euro 2016 on Monday following an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to minnows Iceland.
Hodgson immediately resigned after the loss and talk has already moved on to who the FA may appoint as the 68-year-old's successor. England U21 manager Gareth Southgate is the bookies' current favourite to step in.
"I don't think there is an obvious character, and that's a problem for the FA," Smith told SSNHQ.
"I don't think they want to go down the road of a foreign manager again, and I wouldn't want them to, because I think it totally goes against the principles of international football. We've tried it and it doesn't work.
"There's talk about Gareth Southgate, whether that would be for the long term or the short term I don't know.
"There is not anybody out there that would immediately fit the bill. It's a big problem for the FA. Roy obviously had to go, and I actually felt sorry for the players out there tonight, because that result will live with them forever.
"Whatever they have achieved or will achieve, that will live with them."
England looked on course for the quarter-finals after captain Wayne Rooney put Hodgson's side in front from the penalty spot after just three minutes.
However, Iceland hit back immediately with two first-half goals to cause a major upset and Smith admits England's young squad failed to cope with the pressure of representing the national side.
"You don't like to use words like disastrous, but it was a calamity," the Sky Sports football pundit added.
"I've heard words like spineless banded about, lack of character, too much money, and these accusations have been going around for a long time whenever we have a bad result, but I'm not having that.
"I've been out there, and as an England player I know what it's like, and you feel the weight of expectation, of desperation from the fans in the stadium and back home.
"You know what's going to be said in the papers and on TV if you lose that match, and you can't help but let that affect your game, and that's what it did. Panic sets in, you lose composure, and in the end you go to the same level as Iceland.
"In fact, we went below a level to Iceland, who were magnificent, it goes without saying. That's what our problem is, the inability to keep our composure under pressure, we try too hard if anything. And we just don't do what we're supposed to."
Steve McClaren, England boss 2006-2007, was shocked with the performance and believes it could be worth the FA looking at England's recent appointment in rugby when they start considering a replacement.
He told SSNHQ: "It takes European experience; somebody like Guus Hiddink - potentially even short-term. Gary Neville has had great experience - we can't discard that. I wouldn't put someone younger in charge.
"Let's use rugby as our model with Eddie Jones and a programme underneath where we can develop coaches.
"I think we're going along the right lines - inexperience showed in the squad; let's back them up and say they will develop from this. I think certain decisions haven't helped us that have to been addressed in the FA, coaching courses. The next one coming in will need a lot of help."
