Sven Goran Eriksson takes the reins.

There was always going to be a furore when the Three Lions appointed their first non-English manager in February 2001, but Sven-Goran Eriksson let his results on the pitch do the talking.

The future looked bright when he began his tenure with a 3-0 victory over Spain and then seven months later had the country in rapture as his charges went to Munich and demolished Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier.

During his 67-game reign, England qualified for every international tournament and although they would only ever go as far as the quarter-finals, Eriksson had vindicated the appointment of a foreign manager.