McClaren is one step closer to being frozen out of England job

His destiny, as it has so often appeared since he took charge 15 months ago, is not in his control.

Running out of time: Steve McClaren

England meet Austria in a snowy Vienna tonight for a friendly that could be completely meaningless if Russia beat Israel in Tel Aviv tomorrow and Croatia secure a draw away to Macedonia.

They cannot approach the game with such a scenario in mind. Instead, they have to treat it as a particularly chilly warm-up exercise for what could be an encounter of enormous importance against Croatia at Wembley next Wednesday.

Whatever McClaren believes, that is regarded by most observers as extremely unlikely.

When McClaren eventually appeared at last night's press conference beneath the chandeliers of the city's Imperial Hotel, he had the look of a man who was walking football's green mile; a man who knew, bar a late and highly unlikely reprieve, that he was entering the final few days of his life as an international coach.

He might have said he should be allowed to continue irrespective of whether England qualify for next summer's European Championship.

He might have insisted he remains the best man for the job. But by tomorrow night he will probably have to accept that is all over, that his employers at the FA will dismiss him before they board their plane for South Africa and the World Cup draw at the end of next week.

He must have realised as much after chatting to Brian Barwick last Friday.

In the last few weeks McClaren has repeatedly declared that he has the support of his chief executive. But did Barwick tell him his job was safe?

'We had a nice little chat about the week, about business, about certain meetings we've had before,' said McClaren. 'But not about my job.'

He said he believed he would 'survive' and then noted how he had 'come through adversity in the past'. But there is a crucial difference on this occasion. He is at the mercy of others.

'We're in a period of uncertainty,' he said. 'But the main uncertainty is about this campaign and not my job. The uncertainty is because qualification is out of our hands.'

After leading his team out tonight, McClaren says he will return to England and watch the Israel game with his sons. That, in itself, tells you what he expects the outcome to be.

When his England career reaches its nadir, he wants his family around him.

Any man would and, like any man, he tried to focus on the few positives that remain. 'It is not over yet,' he insisted. 'We still have to believe that there could be a lot riding on Wednesday.

I've got full confidence in the players that we can still make it.' At times he sounded desperate, deluded even. 'It started off as just a game for Israel and Russia, but it's become a massive match across Europe now.'

But it is not a massive match across Europe. It is just a massive match for Russia and England. Other countries might have a laugh at England's expense, but it is of no consequence to them. Why should they care if it all but spells the end of England's Euro 2008 campaign and McClaren's tenure as coach?

Against an Austria side who have won only one of their last 10 games — against an Ivory Coast side reduced to 10 men — McClaren will probably notch up another win.

But how far have England come in the 17 games of his reign? David Beckham on the right flank, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the middle and Joe Cole on the left. Not exactly evidence of the progress McClaren and Terry Venables claim to have made.

'I just wanted to have another look at Lampard and Gerrard together,' said McClaren. Hasn't he seen enough of them to know there are often problems?

Peter Crouch continues to partner Michael Owen in attack, which is a decision McClaren has been forced to make due to yet another injury to Wayne Rooney but one that again hardly provides proof of a great tactical mind.

There have been changes in defence and the emergence of Micah Richards is one of the more positive aspects of this period with McClaren.

But look how long it has taken him to drop the error-prone Paul Robinson and bring in Scott Carson. If England do fail to qualify and he is indeed sacked, McClaren will reflect on the introduction of Carson as a change he made far too late.

Other changes, most notably against Russia in Moscow last month and indeed in Zagreb and Tel Aviv, have also been made too late.

McClaren hesitates when he needs to be decisive, lacking the vision or the tactical nous to make the kind of calls that define the best managers.

As a result, he has never appeared to be an England coach in control of his own destiny. Quite simply, he was offered a job he was not ready for and last night he looked like someone who was getting ready to go.