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Barwick refused to condemn the former Middlesbrough boss after he was given a mauling in the English press on Thursday morning.

"Of course [we are behind him]," Barwick told Sky. "His job is to get the players ready for a friendly against Austria - and then Croatia."

England have only one more qualifier to come ahead of the finals next summer in Austria and Switzerland and their fate is now out of their hands.

That match is at Wembley against Group E leaders Croatia in November. With Russia facing minnows Andorra on the same evening, the eastern Europeans' tie in Israel prior to that could make or break their campaign - with the Three Lions needing a home result.

Failing that, a Macedonia win at home to the Croatians followed by an England victory on the final day over the same team would see McClaren's men through.

"We are not in the position in the group we wanted to be, everybody accepts that - [but] we are still in it," Barwick added.

"We do need others to do a job of work for us, but Steve has to get on with his job and we're behind him.

"We need to gather our thoughts and then push it on to the Croatia game. Steve will have to concentrate on England versus Croatia and we know he will."

England were leading at half time in the Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday evening, a score-line that would have seen them and Croatia through to the finals already.

However two goals in five minutes sent their hopes spiralling.

The last time England missed out on a major competition, the World Cup in 1994, boss Graham Taylor was widely ridiculed in the press and sacked soon after.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport