England emerging from World Cup hangover, says McClaren

YARM, England, Feb 4 (Reuters) England are finally getting over their World Cup hangover, according to coach Steve McClaren.

England have stumbled in their 2008 European Championship campaign since McClaren succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson after England's quarter-final exit in Germany last July.

However the coach told reporters ahead of Wednesday's friendly with Spain at Old Trafford that he felt England had now entered a new era.

''There has been a big hangover from the World Cup for everybody -- for the fans, media, the players -- and I think we're finally starting to get over that,'' he said.

''That is reflected in the performances in the first six months after a World Cup. It's always difficult. You always get injuries and people dipping in form.

''Once you get over the New Year, I think you're into a new era. The calibre of the players coming through and in the squad is just raising that excitement again,'' he added.

''What we're looking at is a big year. It's a massive year for England...because we are starting now and we want to end it with qualification.

''In the meantime we've got very big games, very important games. It will be swings and roundabouts, ups and downs but eventually we will get there. We're determined to do that.'' McClaren said he felt no pressure in the job, adding that his position was not very different to that of most Premier League managers.

''They win a game and they're the great whatever. They lose a game and they can't manage anything,'' he said. ''International level is no different.

MANAGER'S CHOICE ''It's a game of opinions and everyone will have an opinion on the squad. But ultimately, mine is the opinion that has to be tested. Everybody else's theories don't have to be.'' ''As manager your theories are tested and scrutinised,'' he added. ''That's the beauty of the job as well. That's why football is a great sport. We've got to make our national team successful again.'' England will face Spain as part of preparations for a Group E double-header in Israel on March 24, followed four days later by an away tie against Andorra being played in Barcelona.

McClaren's side are third in the seven-team group with seven points from four matches, three behind leaders Croatia who beat England 2-0 in October.

The coach said he was encouraged by his players' efforts in their last game, a 1-1 draw in a friendly against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

''The Holland game was a big game,'' McClaren said.

''The players' attitudes epitomised the feeling that we had in the squad at that time because we'd been under severe criticism and I think that came from the World Cup and the expectations of the World Cup.

''It was 'Come on, we've got a set of world-class players and we've got to prove that'. We haven't proved that yet.'' REUTERS SBA BST0455