As the clamour for the FA to name a new manager grows, an early decision is expected, writes Michael Walker

Steve McClaren used the word "momentum" regarding Middlesbrough this week but it is with regard to himself and the English Football Association that it seems equally appropriate. With the FA's search for a new manager ongoing, McClaren is the bookmakers' favourite ahead of Martin O'Neill to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson, although that is hardly the most reliable of gauges and the FA is yet to offer anyone the post.

However, having interviewed McClaren and O'Neill twice, plus Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley and the Brazilian manager of Portugal, Luiz Felipe Scolari, the FA is understood to be close to a decision. One of McClaren's north-east managerial counterparts, Newcastle United's caretaker Glenn Roeder, speculated yesterday that the appointment could even be made as early as next week.

"That's a big rumour within the game," Roeder said. "The rumour is that we will know before the end of next week. Everyone in football, particularly the contenders, are saying make a decision. It's harming what we're doing on a day-to-day basis at our clubs; they want to know what they're doing. If it is next week, then that could be the log that breaks up the river - if that is the right expression."

Roeder was alluding to the fact that a McClaren appointment by the FA would leave O'Neill free to move to Newcastle, where he is believed to have been offered the job. But the level of supposition involved merely confirms Roeder's remark that within football there is unhappiness with the uncertainty caused by the drawn-out England process.

Curbishley voiced his discontent on Thursday about the destabilising effect the imminent national vacancy has had on Charlton and it is known Middlesbrough and Newcastle have made contingency plans should McClaren leave Teesside or O'Neill fail to turn up on Tyneside.

Paul Jewell of Wigan and Tony Mowbray of Hibernian have been mentioned as potential successors to McClaren, as has the Boro captain Gareth Southgate, and while the speculation comes at a sensitive time for Middlesbrough - they meet Steaua Bucharest in Thursday's first leg of the Uefa Cup semi-final and then West Ham in the FA Cup semi-final tomorrow week - McClaren would not be the focus of it were it not for Boro's cup progress.

All at Middlesbrough are trying to avoid the subject of McClaren and England but George Boateng did refer to it, albeit cryptically.

"I don't want to go into detail about the manager's future at Middlesbrough," he said. "In Holland we have a saying that when the bride is at the party, you can't stop celebrating. We can't start thinking he might be away. I don't want to go into detail. He is here now, we have made it together and he is here. He is writing history for this club, the players and for the fans. We want to enjoy it while he is here.

"The manager has come through a difficult period. He has come out every time when the criticism is there and he has responded. It takes courage. In difficult periods that is when you learn about people. You see whether people will give in or whether they will fight. He has stayed, he has fought and he has given us our belief back in ourselves. It is also a big moment for him."

If the FA chooses O'Neill that would have repercussions for Newcastle. Many names have been mentioned on Tyneside beyond O'Neill - Roeder serving as an interim manager for a year until Alan Shearer takes over being as plausible a solution as any mooted - but Shay Given has voiced the dressing-room desire to see O'Neill installed and Titus Bramble added to that yesterday.

"A lot of people in the game talk highly of Martin O'Neill," said Bramble, "and his name comes into our conversation. I have also spoken to Craig Bellamy (who was with O'Neill at Celtic) who says that he is a very good manager."

Bellamy, incidentally, is now an £8-million target for Chelsea, having left Newcastle for Blackburn Rovers last summer.