http://newsbiscuit.com/forum/topic.php?id=42014 The NewsBiscuit Community en-US Fri, 24 May 2013 23:20:00 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://newsbiscuit.com/forum/search.php http://newsbiscuit.com/forum/topic.php?id=42014#post-120057 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:49:48 +0000 clicktingstampz 120057@http://newsbiscuit.com/forum/ <p>The Football Association today dismissed criticism of its efforts to pick a new manager of the English national team, insisting an appointment would be made by “2020 at the latest”.<br /> FA chairman David Bernstein told a press conference that an initial longlist containing 7.01 billion names had been whittled down to 130,000.<br /> In a defiant riposte to the laws of space and time, Mr Bernstein insisted a new manager would be able to improve England's fortunes at this summer's European Championships, even if he was not put in charge for another few years.<br /> Mr Bernstein said: “I fervently believe that if, for example, we find the right man in 2018, he will still be able to have a positive influence on the 2012 European Championships.<br /> “We keep hearing how hindsight is a wonderful thing; this could be our chance to prove it.”<br /> Mr Bernstein denied the FA had been dragging its heels during the process to select a new England manager.<br /> “Far from it,” he said.<br /> “We've all been watching a lot of soccerball over the past few weeks and we're inching closer to a decision.<br /> “There are many outstanding candidates, such as Kenny Keegan, Garth Crooks and Eileen Drury, but we can't rush into this.<br /> “Plus we've been ever so busy recently, what with the debate about goal-line technology, and my daughter's upcoming wedding.”<br /> Meanwhile, bookmakers have stopped taking bets on England's squad once again disgracing their country at this summer's championships, through a series of woeful performances, dressing-room bust-ups, ill-advised sexual liaisons with each other's wives and homophobic tweets. </p>