McClaren: It's not all over and I won't quit

The head coach will come under increasing scrutiny after the 2-1 loss took qualification for next summer's tournament out of England's hands.

If Russia win their remaining two games against Israel and Andorra then McClaren's team will fail to qualify, even if they beat Croatia in their final group game at home on 21 November.

McClaren said: "This group is not over yet. It is out of our hands but it is not over. Russia still have to go to Israel and win - the pressure is still on them.

"As I have said all along, this group is decided over 12 games, not 10 or 11. Let's see where we end up.

"Hopefully we'll still be in a position to qualify when we play Croatia in our final game.

"We're in the results business and I'm not thinking beyond that game at the moment. But it'll be a huge disappointment if we don't make it."

It would be the first time since the 1994 World Cup in the USA that England have failed to qualify for a major tournament.

But McClaren's players today vowed to carry on fighting to secure a place at Euro 2008. Skipper Steven Gerrard insisted he had not given up hope of reaching Austria and Switzerland.

He said: "Qualification is looking doubtful. We will see it out until the end and, hopefully, Israel can do us a favour. It's a very shell-shocked dressing room. The players are hurting and down.

"We need to take it on the chin, take responsibility for where we are and try to win our last game."

England took the lead through Wayne Rooney but the Manchester United striker then conceded a dubious penalty which was scored by Russian substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko. He then capitalised on another error by goalkeeper Paul Robinson to score the winner 16 minutes from time.

"We just have to hope and pray now," admitted Rooney. "It's out of our hands and we are all devastated by the result."

His sentiment was echoed by Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, who said: "Football is a harsh game sometimes, especially at this level.

"Now we have to stick together. There is still a slim hope and while that is there we must keep on fighting."

Robinson said England "lost control of the game in a four-minute spell in the second half " during which time he conceded the two goals.

He admitted: "The shot for the second goal came in quickly and I didn't manage to get a strong enough hand on it."

Guus Hiddink's team are favourites to progress along with Croatia and England only have themselves to blame after draws with Macedonia and Israel and the defeat in Croatia last year left them exposed.

All McClaren could do last night was reflect on his bad luck and a poor refereeing display by Spanish official Luis Medina Cantralejo.

"The penalty was outside the box and given by the referee in a bad position," said the aggrieved coach. "Because of that decision we went from being in a winning position to lose the game."