Redknapp scoffs at England contenders' credentials

Harry Redknapp has warned the Football Association there is no outstanding candidate to replace Steve McClaren as England manager, taking particular umbrage at suggestions Guus Hiddink or Stuart Pearce could be considered.

The Portsmouth manager is among the names being mentioned as a possible successor following McClaren's sacking but he believes finding the right man will be a difficult task for Brian Barwick and his fellow board members.

"No one jumps out, no one at all," Redknapp said. "Where are they? I cannot see them, you cannot even look abroad. Who's so clever they can do the job for us?

"Guus Hiddink? Do me a favour, he could not win against Israel reserves and they had a worse result than England on Wednesday night [in losing 2-1 in Tel Aviv last Saturday].

"Jose Mourinho – will he come? I don't know about that one. Doesn't he want to manage a club in Italy or somewhere? I heard the name of Stuart Pearce mentioned. What is that about? What has he achieved in management?"

Of his own claims, Redknapp added: "Would I want it? I have got my work to do at Portsmouth. There is plenty for me to do here at the moment. Glenn Hoddle was our best manager of the last 20 years and then perhaps Terry Venables. Both of them left for things that happened off the field."

Redknapp believes McClaren deserved to go after resorting to long-ball tactics in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat at home to Croatia which denied them a place in next summer's finals inin Austria and Switzerland.

He added: "The way we played against Croatia was too route one. We were intent on getting the ball up to Peter Crouch and not playing to feet. I hear people on phone-ins talks about the Croatians being better technically but I'm not having that. They have one player who would get in the England team in Luka Modric but apart from that just think about the team we could pick. Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole – these players are in a different league."