McClaren starts England job

Steve McClaren started his new job on Tuesday as Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick hailed a "new chapter" for the England team.

Barwick interrupted his holiday to greet McClaren on his first day at the FA offices in central London. Exactly a month after England crashed out of the World Cup on penalties, McClaren stepped into the shoes of Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Barwick told Sky Sports News: "It's a new chapter in the life of the England national team and the FA. Steve will be in this morning and I'm looking forward to welcoming him and helping him settle in. I am excited. I am always excited about football."

McClaren, 45, flew to London from Teesside on Tuesday morning with plans to meet his new FA colleagues at lunchtime before a series of meetings with the senior management, including Barwick.

The new England boss, who accepted the job and signed a four-year deal in May, will meet the FA administration team to consider the plans in place for his first three games against Greece, Andorra and Macedonia.

He will also talk to the media officials to discuss plans to unveil his backroom team.

McClaren still hopes to include former England boss Terry Venables on his staff but there will be no Alan Shearer after the former England captain rejected the offer of a coaching role.

The new England coaching team will be finalised before the end of next week and unveiled at a press conference in London on Friday, August 11.

McClaren may also decide to name his first squad on the same day - for the friendly international against European champions Greece at Old Trafford on August 16.

After two days settling into his new office, McClaren will start to check on the players he hopes to name in his first team against Greece. He will start by watching Manchester United, one of his former clubs, in pre-season action against Porto in Amsterdam on Friday.