Football: Enter Reid as Taylor hits out

PETER REID, who led Sunderland to promotion to the Premiership last season, will replace Peter Taylor as coach of the England Under-21 side. The appointment was announced by the Football Association's technical director, Howard Wilkinson, who added that the job will again revert to a part-time role.

The announcement came the day after Taylor had hit out at his impending departure. Taylor, who must leave his post after Tuesday's European Under- 21 Championship qualifier in Bulgaria, admitted: "I hope the FA feel embarrassed about the situation."

Taylor saw his side move closer to winning their European Championship group as goals from Carl Cort (2) and Richard Cresswell ensured a comfortable 3-0 success over Sweden at the McAlpine Stadium on Friday night. Victory maintained England's 100 per cent record in their group and moved them seven points clear of Bulgaria and Poland who drew 3-3 on the same evening.

Now a win in Bulgaria will ensure England of winning their group before Taylor has to clear his desk at Lancaster Gate after three years of almost unbroken success. The facts show that England have lost only one of 15 European matches during Taylor's reign. They are also playing with style while a host of players have graduated into the senior England set-up, formerly under Glenn Hoddle and now Kevin Keegan. That is not sufficient to save Taylor from being relieved of his duties.

Taylor said: "If I am honest I think other people have earned contracts on the strength of the same sort of record I have achieved. If people are successful they tend to get rewarded with new deals. I can toe the line and say 'that's the way things go' but I am very disappointed.

"I know there have been changes at the top of the FA and when that happens people want to bring in their own people. But for me, because of the way the players have responded, I think it's a great shame it is all going to end."