Getting the Result We Deserve

April 28th, 2006 | by: Shawn | View Comments

The climate of the New Svenship has scared off Big Phil.

“There have been 20 journalists camped outside my house since yesterday,. I don’t like this pressure. It may be part of another culture, but it’s not part of mine.”

I can blame nobody from walking away from the 24/7 publicity minefield that is the job of England’s manager. If Big Phil can’t handle the pressure of being offered the job, it’s best he doesn’t take it at all. (And I accept that in my little way I have stoked flames like those that he felt burned by this week.)

But that means that the position is likeliest to go to another dyspeptic, paranoid, bureaucratic negotiator like the last several managers. Someone with the gentle manner, stature, cunning and affability of Big Phil is, sadly, the likeliest sort of fellow to be crushed by the scrutiny, expectations, disloyalty, fatalism and naked celebrity of the English managership.

Pity.