McClaren plans a quick return

Former England manager Steve McClaren has reasserted his eagerness to get back into football at the earliest possible juncture next year. Speaking for the first time since the day of his sacking on November 22, McClaren talked of the need to "rest and recuperate", and also of his desire to spend time with his family but seemed to contradict himself by insisting he would be ready to return to management by the beginning of 2008.

"It's only been two weeks, but it seems like a lifetime," he said. "It'll take me a while, it'll take the fans a while and it'll take the country a while to get over the disappointment of not qualifying. But I'm a coach, I'm a football manager. I've worked at the top level now for a long, long time, and I don't want that to end. I want that to continue."

McClaren reiterated his gratitude at having been given the opportunity to lead England, as well as for the support he had received in doing so, but said he was looking forward to returning to the more constant demands of club football.

"It isn't just 18 months I've worked with England, it's been six and a half years," he said. "The support I've had - of the players, of the staff around the team - it's been absolutely fantastic. But England only join up every few months and you don't get that day-to-day with the players, so I missed that, and I miss it even more now. I can't wait to get involved in something again.

"I've never watched so much football on TV," he added, denying recent reports he had been relaxing on a beach in Barbados. "I'm watching so much football and really just getting ready for the next challenge. I also spoke to Bobby Robson, who didn't qualify in his first attempt, but carried on and was successful. I take heart from the experiences off people like Bobby."

He also vowed to support his eventual England successor, encouraging others to do the same.

"They really have to choose the best man," said McClaren. "And whoever that is, I always believed there is enough in that squad, enough in those players to be successful. And I sincerely hope, because I'm a fan, like everyone else, I sincerely hope they'll be successful. It's important that we get behind this team, get behind the players - the fans, everyone in the media - everyone has to get behind this team because everyone wants them to do well."