Brian Ashton's reign as England head coach is almost over after rugby chiefs gave the green light for Martin Johnson to become team manager.

The Rugby Football Union's management board last night unanimously approved Rob Andrew's recommendation that Johnson is offered the job.

That signals the end for Ashton, who still misguidedly insists he will have the final say on who gets the key role.

The 61-year-old wanted to appoint former England and Bath centre Phil de Glanville but the RFU's support for World Cup winning-captain Johnson has put paid to that.

Ashton, who guided England into the 2007 World Cup Final and second place in the Six Nations, signed a new contract - which had no fixed term - in December.

Now, though, he finds himself completely sidelined less than two months before England are due to travel to New Zealand for a two-Test trip that will now feature a new team manager and backs coach, either Mike Catt or Austin Healey.

Those are the appointments elite rugby director Andrew has been charged with making and the management board will ratify them at the start of next month.

It appears the only way Ashton can remain in his job is for Johnson to turn down the job. That will happen if the former Leicester skipper is not given assurances about the power he will have.

Pointedly, the management board statement backing Andrew's initial discussions with Johnson made no mention of Ashton or his Six Nations achievements and this was a significant snub at a time when the head coach is starting to believe that he is being marginalised.

The statement said: "The management board accepted Rob Andrew's interim report, and was unanimous in authorising him to continue the discussions currently under way to strengthen the England team structure through the recruitment of a team manager and an additional specialist coach.

"Recommendations on these appointments will be made to a Club England meeting in early April, who will then make final recommendations to the RFU management board."