Sacked England coach Steve McClaren admits he "let the fans down" and says he can "totally understand" why the FA had to terminate his deal.The shock of missing out on a first major championship since the 1994 World Cup had not had time to sink in before McClaren was booted out of his job by a unanimous vote of the Football Association board.

His 18 matches in charge make McClaren the shortest-serving England manager in history, a tenure that saw the Three Lions record just nine wins and end by conceding three goals on home soil for the first time in 35 years.

Yet the statistics will mean little next summer when Euro 2008 kicks off without English representation.

"I feel I have let the fans down and the country down," said McClaren.

"I knew that if we didn't qualify that would put the board in a difficult position.

"I can understand the decision, the reaction and the criticism. It hurts and disappoints me but that is football and it will make me stronger in the future."

McClaren can only regret he was not given more time to prove himself, as was the case with Bobby Robson, who failed to qualify for the first tournament he aimed for - Euro 84 - but still went on to guide England to a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final.

Times, demands and expectations have changed during the intervening 25 years, which is one of the reasons why McClaren has departed a wealthy man with an estimated £2.5million pay-off.

His work for the FA is not quite done yet though as his input should be vital to the 'root and branch examination' of matters surrounding the England senior team.

McClaren is not ready air his inner-most thoughts to a public audience just yet, so issues such as the number of foreign players in the Premier League and the technical ability of the English-qualified players who do emerge remain off limits.

However, the former Middlesbrough coach was willing to offer a seemingly ridiculous claim the players who have failed him so badly are capable of bringing glory to a nation and also the England job is not quite the impossible task many believe it to be.

"My time has gone," he said.

"It has been a huge challenge but it is also an honour and I would not regard it as a poisoned chalice at all.

"Obviously, you are judged by results and they have not gone my way. In that sense we have failed.

"I take full responsibility for that. The FA employed me and now they have unemployed me.

"But ultimately, I am a fan and I want England to do well.

"We have not had the success to reward the expectation that has been there.

"I think it will come and I genuinely believe that this group of players and the ones coming through will do it."

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