QPR boss Ian Holloway slams FA's handling of England manager's job

Queens Park Rangers boss Ian Holloway has hit out at Football Association chiefs for their handling of the situation regarding the England manager's job.

Gareth Southgate is the strong favourite to be handed the permanent job after overseeing two wins and two draws during an interim spell in charge.

The 46-year-old, who has been in charge of the England Under-21s since 2013, took over the senior squad when Sam Allardyce was sacked following a 67-day spell after appearing to tell undercover reporters from The Telegraph how to get around the FA's ban on third-party ownership of players.

Holloway believes that Southgate deserves the job, but admits that he would not have dismissed Allardyce, despite his getting caught up in the newspaper's investigation into suspected corruption in football.

"If I was them, I would have made a decision there and then to give it to him," Holloway told reporters in Wednesday's press conference. "I mean, he has been undermined for four games, if you ask me. 'Oh, you have got four games, one of them is a friendly'.

"He has carried himself with real class but I don't think the FA have carried themselves with real class. 'Oh, we are going to take our time'. To do what? What have you been doing, any one of you? Who are you? That is how I feel. Give him the job.

"Would I have got rid of Sam on a newspaper scam? Probably not. Sam could have made Gareth even better, because he could have taught him. For me, it's a bit of an embarrassment. The best managers I have felt, in that job, have been hounded out. What are we doing? What are we doing to our own game?"

Holloway was hired by QPR on a two-and-a-half year deal last Friday for a second spell in charge of the club.

The 53-year-old previously coached the club between 2001 and 2006.