Owen - McClaren Will Take Blame If We Fail!
Last updated : 15 November 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
It is a tough week for McClaren and England, hoping either Croatia or Russia slip on a banana skin.
And I couldn't believe it this morning when one ex-England and Manchester United player - Paul Parker - said "I hope England don't qualify" rather than see them make an arse of themselves in the finals.
Under-fire McClaren is facing a desperate struggle to keep his job and those who are backing him to stay on are those that have most to lose should he go.
Terry Venables is sure to lose HIS job if the axe falls on McClaren, and his pleas to the FA have been nothing short of toe-curling!
Owen admits that there can be "no excuses" for England not qualifying for a major tournament for the first time since 1994.
Owen: "I don't think the manager's looking for any excuses. If we don't qualify, then the manager will hold his hands up and say: 'We should have qualified from this group'.
"There is no hiding the fact we should be qualifying out of this group. I would say we probably let slip too many points early as opposed to thinking Russia was the big thing.
"We drew at home with Macedonia. That is where we struggled in this group.
"No doubt we will reflect after the qualifying and see where it takes us.
"But given the position we are in at the moment, we just have to concentrate on making sure we win against Croatia next Wednesday.
"We are a major force in football but this campaign has been a bitter disappointment - but it's not over quite yet."