Alex Ferguson believes Sam Allardyce should be England's next manager, if the Football Association is committed to appointing an English successor to Roy Hodgson.

Ferguson backed Allardyce as the best of the three English managers currently working in the Premier League, but also urged the FA to look wider “to make sure they get the right one”.

"The problem is there was an expectation England would do well and because they didn't, it's all a bit flat," Ferguson told Sky. "So they need to work out what the plan B is.

“It’s very difficult to think of the right man and there are only three English managers in the Premier League. With Sam’s experience, he is the obvious choice. But I think they have to search wider to make sure they get the right one. If it’s Sam, fine. But they have to have someone with the capabilities, the tactical awareness and the feel for the national side.

“Thank goodness I’m not making the choice because it’s a difficult one but Sam’s the best English candidate because he’s in the Premier League.”

Ferguson also said he believes the lack of a winter break in England will always leave the national team at a disadvantage compared to other nations.

“The league programme English players go through - to then play a major tournament after that makes it impossible. In Germany they have a rest in December and January and teams who play in a better climate must be better prepared than English players.”

Hodgson resigned after Iceland inflicted one of the most humilating defeats in the national team's 144-year history, eliminating them from Euro 2016. Senior players are understood to be actively encouraging the appointment of a foreign manager, because they are underwhelmed by the list of available English contenders.

Guardian services