Steve Coppell has offered his services as temporary England manager if it helps The Football Association get the right man in the long term.

Coppell likes to retire away from media attention but he is willing to step into the line of fire - albeit temporarily - to help his country.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick may find he has to wait until the end of the season, or even after Euro 2008, to get his man - and Coppell has offered to act as a managerial stop-gap.

"I'll hold the fort," he said in The Independent.

"I'll do both jobs during that period and give Brian Barwick time to choose who he thinks is the right man."