Owen - England impossible job - Sport in brief

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Steve McClaren could be heading into his penultimate match in charge on Friday as he gears his team up for the friendly against Austria in Vienna.

"It is probably harder to manage England than any club," said the 27-year-old forward. "There is a lot of pressure involved and because the manager doesn't get to see the players as often as they would at club level, if you have a bad result, you have to live with it for a month or two, which must be really hard."

Despite widespread pleas for McClaren to be kept on, the Football Association know they will come under intense pressure to ditch the former Middlesbrough boss after only 18 games should Euro 2008 fates not smile on the Three Lions over the weekend.

Elimination, which will effectively be triggered by a Russian win in Israel and a failure to win by Macedonia against Croatia on Saturday, will see McClaren become the first England coach to fail in a quest to reach a major tournament since Graham Taylor's team were dumped out of the 1994 World Cup by Holland.

Owen added: "If you have a good game, everything is great, if you don't you get criticised. I always feel like I can never relax but that is especially the case for Steve."