O'Neill backs Mac to reach finals

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner said he would not stand in O'Neill's way if England want him to be their new manager.

But the Villa boss described questions about McClaren's job as "unfair"' and backed the coach to turn England's fortunes around.

He said: "I'm uncomfortable trying to answer the question because England were really unlucky against Russia and they have been playing well in the matches so far. For what it's worth, my own view is that they will qualify. Russia will not find the game easy in Israel. I should not be saying any more, this is all wildly unfair."

O'Neill, whose promising young side face champions Manchester United at Villa Park today, added: "People have already made their minds up about the group, but it's over 12 games. If they qualify will they deserve it? Of course they will. It's unfair to ask me about it, end of story. My chairman did not expect this reaction, as it's hypothetical."

Sam Allardyce, whowas overlooked for the England job last year when at Bolton, was asked if he no longer had designs on the job. "No, it's not me saying anything like that," he insisted.

The Newcastle manager added: "There is a man in the job who is a very good friend of mine and I don't speculate while he is there whether I would or wouldn't want to do the job. They should be left to do the job until the very end.

"If it is to be talked about, it should be talked about then. You don't know what's happening, when it's happening or when it comes about. The most important thing for me is to be successful here and make sure we try and win something in my period.

"It's unfair on Steve and unhelpful that my name has been mentioned as a successor. That goes with the job now.

"We all accept now it's disappointing for a fellow manager to sit and read that kind of stuff."

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is also refusing to discuss replacing McClaren, but his friend and unofficial spokesman Eladio Parames said the Portuguese coach favours a return to club management.

Parames said: "Jose has always supported the English national team manager and would not do anything to undermine him. It's a hypothetical situation. Jose prefers to stay in club management, although it depends what offers come along. He is in no rush because he is doing all the things he hasn't had time to do before with his family.

"It's not possible to talk about where he will go until concrete offers are received and until then it is all hypothetical."