Former England manager Steve McClaren says the national side's recent failings go all the way to the grass roots of the game and has called for an end to the "vilification" of coaches.
McClaren, who took over from Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2006, was sacked after failing to steer a route to Euro 2008, leading to the appointment of Fabio Capello.
After a dismal showing at the World Cup in South Africa, the decorated Italian has found his own position questioned and that is no surprise to McClaren, who told the Daily Mirror: "Myself and Sven were vilified. I built up a good reputation and, unfortunately, it was a case of how a reputation could be destroyed in one night."
He added: "Before that it was (Kevin) Keegan, Glenn Hoddle and Graham Taylor. There have always been many England managers who keep getting ridiculed.
"I think it's about time we started to broaden the inquest, not just focusing on one man. We say: 'He's the head, it's his fault, chop his head off'.
"Let's start looking at the bigger picture now. In my experience, in Holland and now coming to Germany, they've gone through similar experiences where they failed and they've looked not just from the top but from the grass roots and made changes.
"Let's look at other things. Why can't we develop players like the Dutch, the Germans, the Spanish?
"I do see the difference travelling around Europe...working in Holland, working in Germany. They took it back to grass roots level. They had the talent and they developed the coaches first so they developed the talent properly."
Source: PA
