Former England manager Steve McClaren has urged the Football Association to choose their successor to Fabio Capello as soon as possible.

The Italian resigned in February, just months before this summer's European Championship in Poland and the Ukraine.

"Really the manager starts planning for that first game in the tournament as soon as the draw is made. You need to know detail now, well in advance," said McClaren. "You can't just turn up - you have to be planning. And it's rigorous planning.

"The advantage is that the FA are fantastic behind the scenes - hotels and training camps. But I think somebody needs to be in place well before the tournament because he might have different ideas.

"[The new manager] needs to sit down and plan the preparation period thoroughly because you only get one chance at it. So the sooner the better for that person to plan, to go around the clubs, see players."

Current Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is still the favourite to take over the national team.