FILE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Steve McClaren is sacked as England manager

Steve McClaren was sacked as England's soccer manager on Thursday (November 22) following their failure to qualify for the European Championship finals next year. The announcement was made at a news conference in London after the English Football Association board meeting. McClaren took over the job after the World Cup last year but a 3-2 home defeat by Croatia on Wednesday settled their fate. The beleaguered McClaren accepted full responsibility for England's failure to reach the finals but, at a news conference after the match, he ruled out resignation. England's loss to Croatia confirmed their absence from a major tournament for the first time since the 1994 World Cup in the United States. McClaren, who took over from Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach after the 2006 World Cup, has two years left of his four-year contract. Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is favourite to be the next England manager. Bookmakers made Mourinho, Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill and Portugal boss Luis Felipe Scolari among the front-runners to take over from McClaren.

ITN Source | November 23, 2007

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