Football: Armfield and Francis in talks at Wednesday

JIMMY ARMFIELD, the Football Association's adviser, has spoken to the Sheffield Wednesday manager, Trevor Francis, as part of the process of finding a successor to Graham Taylor, the departed England manager.

Armfield and Francis talked for more than an hour at Hillsborough and Armfield explained: 'I am speaking to a lot of different managers and players and having general discussions about the whole structure of the international set-up.

'Trevor has a wealth of experience as a player and has played 50- odd times for England, plus he has played abroad. I think we should draw on that type of experience.

'I have also spoken to players who have been in the England side. That is important in my opinion. I haven't talked to Wednesday's England lads yet but I hope to do so before the end of the season. The whole idea is for the FA to get closer to people.'

Armfield's visit may reduce the bookmakers' odds against Francis succeeding Taylor but it is thought that the discussion was more of a general chat than a direct approach about the job. 'We've certainly got to get somebody in by the third week of January because we have a match against Denmark. Whether it will be a caretaker I don't know.,' Armfield added.

Another Yorkshire manager, Doncaster Rovers' Steve Beaglehole, was yesterday relieved of his managerial duties. The player-coach, Tony Cunningham, is appointed caretaker.