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This is about the English FA but you can replace it with FAI and Mourinhio with Hodgson or Coppell or whoever.
Jose Mourinho may or may not be bluffing about his interest in taking over as England coach - but there is one simple way to find out.
The Football Association should call Mourinho's bluff. Today.
Mourinho is far and away the outstanding candidate to succeed Steve McClaren. He is also available.
And yet we have the farce of the FA canvassing luminaries such as John Toshack, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer and Sir Alex Ferguson before making its move.
This is utter nonsense. Never mind "the process", just get on the phone.
No-one with a basic working knowledge of football should need to consult anyone, let alone a man who has underwhelmed with Wales, to get the gist of Mourinho's ability and achievements.
And the same applies to Fabio Capello and Martin O'Neill, who would also be excellent choices.
The FA will not be criticised if Mourinho is asked and says no.
But chief executive Brian Barwick and his cohorts will be destroyed if Mourinho is not even asked the question because they are waiting on big Tosh's carefully-crafted opinion, or there is some other inexplicable hesitation.
Mourinho has teased England about his interest, leading to understandable claims that he is using potential FA interest to land the big one at Real Madrid, Barcelona or AC Milan.
So pick up the phone or better still get on a plane.
If a journalist can find the gates to his Portuguese home, the task should not be beyond the Football Association's finest.
If Mourinho is asked and turns the offer down, the FA can move on.
If he agrees, and his huge ego might just tempt him, almost all of the FA's sins will be forgiven.
But ask him. Now.
You might have gathered from this that I would happily lead the public campaign for Mourinho to succeed McClaren. From the ridiculous to the sublime.
Mourinho is charismatic, successful and might just frighten the life out of some of the grey men we saw announcing McClaren's departure - another reason to appoint him.
He is, above all, a proven coach with or without money.
Mourinho's achievements in winning the Uefa Cup and Champions League with Porto arguably carry more weight for him to be the next England coach than his achievements with Chelsea.
And world-class players speak in awe of Mourinho as a man manager able to get big performances from his players - another perfect quality for the hit-and-run nature of international football.
Now we come to the part of the equation that will have them shaking in their suits at Soho Square.
Namely Jose's combustible personality.
In short - who cares?
What does the FA want? A Mr Nice Guy who will never ruffle feathers inside or outside Soho Square or anywhere else, or a man who might upset some along the way but offers them the best chance of success?
I know which one I would pick. And I'd bet a huge majority of the English football public agree.
The FA can stop the speculation about Mourinho's intentions, or otherwise, by simply offering him the job.
He will either take it or it will flush out his true intentions.
Mourinho would be a brilliant choice. The FA would be negligent not to make the approach.
And it should be made now.
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
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