Sunderland boss Steve Bruce believes it would be worrying if concerns about the media dissuaded FIFA delegates from voting for England. "I know personally how much effort a lot of people have put into it at our club. A lot of people have spent a lot of hours trying to get the bid right and thought that everything was spot-on.

"I think none of us could have envisaged what happened yesterday. That we didn't make it past the first vote is pretty awful, but maybe we can learn from our mistakes. Maybe we just have to accept we're not very well liked.

"The bid was excellent but that seemed to go out of the window. When you see yourself with two votes and one of those was your own, it's totally disappointing.

"If it is just the media, and that seems to be the big thing that's coming out at the moment, people being frightened of our free press - and at times it isn't easy to deal with - that's pretty sad stuff."

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson said he was "disheartened" by the decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia instead of England.

"I am really disappointed. For me 1966 is such a long time ago and here in England we have so much going for us in terms of football.

"I think a World Cup (in England) would have been a rip-roaring success. We have the stadia, the passion of the fans and we have the quality of the infrastructure to accommodate people and get them from match to match.

"It seemed to be everything was crying out for England to be given to the World Cup and I was pretty confident when we started off that we would get it.

"Hearing it went to Russia and that we only got two votes is particularly disheartening."

Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce said: "I thought it was a tremendous finishing presentation from England.

"But when you saw the vote count afterwards, it has to be a massive concern for the future.

"Only two people voted for our country to get the World Cup.

"Looking at the facilities and our bid, we had everything in place to host a World Cup.

"I think research has to go into the reasons why we didn't get it and what we have to do to try to get it in 2026.

"It deserves to come back here sooner or later but it is a long wait now to even get the opportunity.

"But from the bid point of view, all was put together extremely well.

"Only the committee can tell you why we didn't get anywhere near Russia. I can see why it has gone there, when you look at the fact that no eastern European country has ever had the World Cup.

"That is a major pull on the FIFA committee to let them try to deliver one.

"They haven't got the infrastructure we have. They have got to do a lot of work to get it up and running but I am sure they will - but from our point of view it is very disappointing."

West Bromwich Albion chief Roberto Di Matteo felt England were strong contenders to host the 2018 event.

The Italian told Press Association Sport: "I don't believe in conspiracies but I do believe England had a very good bid and would have been a great host for the World Cup in 2018.

"You look at the country and everything is in place in terms of infrastructure and support and it is a big disappointment not to host the tournament."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was stunned that England only polled two votes.

He told radio station Key 103: "It is a big disappointment.

"What I am surprised at is that they only got two votes. I thought the criteria for great stadia, good infrastructure in the country, where it is easy to move around, really enthusiastic supporters was really strong for the World Cup.

"You never know how these things are going to work in terms of committees and things like that.

"You always worry about a committee when they get all together and how it is influenced by bigger, stronger personalities. That has always been the case whether it has been football or anything."

Ferguson added: "The most important thing is for the nation just to forget it. Okay, it has gone to Russia and then Qatar - good luck.

"I hope it is a good World Cup because we need a good World Cup. We have not had a good one in terms of quality since maybe 1986 in Mexico."