I was drawn into Group 2 as top seed along with Germany, Scotland, Latvia, Iceland and Azerbaijan. Looked good on paper with the only concern being Germany. Germany would be my fourth opponents in the group and we met with me winning my first 3 games 7-0, 4-1 and 4-1. Germany appeared and I managed a very nice 2-1 win. Happy days!

2 more games followed, both away before I would participate in the Confederations Cup. Scotland and Azerbaijan. What I thought would be 2 easy wins was not to be. I managed a 0-0 with Scotland and 1-1 with Azerbaijan, these giving Germany the advantage in the group.

Must add at the end of that season I won the Confederations Cup. I have also managed to qualify for the World Cup, which is to be held in SA! Also, must add, Brazil was seeded 4th for the draw!!! 

Serie A

Started off the season quite brightly and it wasn’t long before I found myself top of the pile. The good form continued throughout the season, although I did have the odd blip here and there, mainly against championship rivals Roma. I managed to play Inter 6 times throughout the course of the season, only beating them once, but only losing to them once as well

The form stuttered in the run in, 3 draws and a win from the final 4 games against teams I should have beaten comfortably ultimately cost me the title.

Managed to make it the quarter final of the champions league, losing out to Inter 3-1 on aggregate.

In the Copa Italia I managed to reach the semi-final, where I would meet Inter. I lost on penalties after both legs ended in 1-1 draws.

Final Position

4th P38 W23 D11 L4 F69 A32 Pts80

Copa Italia

Semi Final v Inter, 2-2 agg, L5-6 on pens

Champions League

Quarter Final v Inter, L1-3 agg

Players In:

7 for £83m

(1 of which was for £14m used from the previous season’s budget, player didn’t arrive until July)

Players Out:

6 for £5.25m

Staff In:

3 Scouts

5 Coaches

1 AssMan

£1.2m

Staff Out:

2 Coaches

1 AssMan

£1.7m

Drawn into a group alongside Portugal, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. I managed to scrape past all 3 with 1-0 wins.

Faced Holland in the 2nd round, a game that was to be decided on penalties, going 7-6 in my favour. Next up was Spain who rolled over for me as I beat them 3-0. Poland was next in the Semi Final and I promptly dispatched them 3-1 after being 1-0 down at half time.

So here I was at the showpiece event, what would turn out to be the greatest day in my managerial career, the most memorable night in the world.

England v France in the World Cup Final. It turned out to be an even game, though I managed to take a 2-0 lead at half time. This led to France chasing the game for the 2nd half and they lost 2 players late in the game through red cards. I held on to win 2-0 and bring the trophy home 

Jules Rimet truly is still gleaming, football has come home.

After the World Cup I decided I have fulfilled my mandate as England manager and resigned from the post to concentrate on club management once again.