Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger maintains England's failure to
qualify for Euro 2008 is not a 'disaster' and backed them to
recover strongly for the next World Cup campaign 'if the right
measures are taken now'.
The Frenchman has also vowed he is 'happy to help' if the Football
Association want to consult him for advice about the vacant
manager's job but emphasised he is not interested in succeeding the
sacked Steve McClaren.
McClaren lost his job following the 3-2 defeat by Croatia at
Wembley on Wednesday night, which saw England miss out on their
first major international- tournament in 14 years.
The Football Association will now begin their search for a
successor and the soul-searching continues for answers to the
abject failure of some of the Barclays Premier League's top stars
who again failed to deliver for their country.
Wenger, though, reflected on the experiences of France, who failed
to reach the 1994 World Cup in the United States, but then won it
four years later as hosts.
The Arsenal manager, often criticised for a lack of home-grown
talent in his own squad, said: 'I don't think it is a disaster, but
it is a massive disappointment.
'It is up to England to see how they respond to the situation
now.
'Immediately, in the present, it is a massive handicap. On the
future for the World Cup 2010 it can be an advantage if the right
measures are taken now.'
Wenger was himself once approached for the England job by the FA,
but has always maintained his interest lies only in club
football.
The Gunners boss is, though, likely to be one of the footballing
minds consulted by current chief executive at Soho Square, Brian
Barwick, during the latest selection process.
'I am always happy to help if I can,' Wenger told
Arsenal.com.
'I am not sure I am really gifted for that, but if they want to
know my opinion - and it is a confidential one - then I am always
happy.'
Wenger, who recently agreed a new deal to keep him at Emirates
Stadium until 2011, still believes an Englishman would be best
suited to the job of national team boss.
'If I was English then of course [I'd be interested],' the
Frenchman, 58, said.
'But I am not so it is a `no'. That is in line with what I have
always said.
'In my opinion, the England manager should be English.'
The French coach believes 'deep thinking' is needed to ensure there
is no repeat of the Euro 2008 qualifying fiasco.
Wenger said: 'I don't want to come out and say what I think these
measures should be, but I feel the FA need deep thinking for what
happened and find solutions.
'They can't just appoint a new coach and think England will win the
World Cup in 2010.
'After France failed to qualify in 1994 [manager] Gerard Houllier
was straight away sacrificed in a little bit of a similar
game.
'That is a good example for England [because] the France players
that lost then became world champions.
'Not all but most. [Emmanuel] Petit, [Didier] Deschamps played in
this game and they became world champions and European champions
afterwards.
'That is what I mean - don't slaughter the players because the
England national team has good players.'