England

4-0

Greece

Terry 14, Lampard 30, Crouch 36, 42

 

 

International Friendly
8.05pm, Wednesday 16 August 2006
Old Trafford, Manchester
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16 August 2006
Steve McClaren Post Match

Steve McClaren gives his thoughts on England's sweeping 4-0 victory over Greece at Old Trafford.

Steve McClaren, England’s eleventh full-time boss, achieved a four-goal victory in his first match in charge last night – and only one other England manager in history can beat that.

Walter, later “Sir Walter”, Winterbottom was England’s first manager, although in his day ultimate responsibility for picking the team rested with The FA’s International Selection Committee.

In Walter’s first match, a British Championship fixture with Northern Ireland in Belfast in 1946, England swamped their opponents 7-2. Contributing to a five-goal winning margin were Wilf Mannion (hat-trick), Raich Carter, Tom Finney, Tommy Lawton and Bobby Langton.

But last night’s 4-0 scoreline beats all the other managers in their debut matches.

Alf, later “Sir Alf”, began with a 2-5 defeat in France in the European Championship; Don Revie won 3-0 against the Czechs at Wembley in the same competition; Ron Greenwood drew 0-0 with Switzerland in a Wembley friendly; Bobby Robson drew 2-2 in Denmark in the European Championship; Graham Taylor won 1-0 against the Hungarians in a Wembley friendly; Terry Venables also edged home 1-0 against the Danes in another Wembley friendly; Glenn Hoddle won 3-0 in Moldova in the European Championship; Kevin Keegan won 3-1 against Poland at Wembley, also in the European Championship.

Most recently Sven-Goran Eriksson’s era started with a 3-0 win over Spain in a Villa Park friendly.

But only the late Sir Walter can match McClaren’s brilliant debut at Old Trafford, watched by a record crowd for an August international, 45,864.

This weekend Steve is expected at the following domestic matches;

Sheff Utd v Liverpool
Bolton v Spurs
Chelsea v Man City
Watford v West Ham