8 Fictional Characters Who Should Definitely Get The England Manager's Job

Of course, who else? ‘Mike Bassett: England Manager’ has such a nice ring to it that they should make a film out of it.

Bassett of course already has previous with the England job, having led the Three Lions to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. Despite failing to qualify for the Euros two years later, the former Norwich manager has since gone on to save the mighty Wirral County from relegation – Bassett knows what it takes to drag a team out of the doldrums, which is exactly where England are right now.

His ‘rousing’ half-time team-talks have gone viral on Youtube, with his foul-mouthed rants often parodied and referenced throughout pop culture, despite their seeming ineffectiveness towards the team's often disappointing performances.

England is all Bassett has these days; his wife has left him, the media hates him, and he isn't in line to get a huge pay-off if he gets the sack (he sacrificed a villa in Ibiza to take this job). He's not the biggest name by any means, and his style may not exactly be the flavour of the month in the footballing world, but he does have heart - a lot more than some of the fakes and phonies that have held the job in previous years.

There’s a never a dull day with Bassett in charge; whether he’s fighting with reporters, berating fans outside the stadium, or selecting players named after his favourite brand of cigarettes, Bassett is the quintessential England manager experience all rolled into one. Just like some of his predecessors, the newspapers label him some less-than-complimentary terms, but the gaffer has brought a more old-fashioned feel back to an England squad that has so poorly implemented more modern tactics in recent years.

And whether you like it or not, “England will be playing 4-4-f***ing-2!”