Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is backing England coach Steve McClaren to "ride out the storm" and qualify for the Euro 2008 finals as he pledged his own future to the midlands club.

O'Neill was one of the leading candidates to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson before the Football Association opted to promote the Swede's number two McClaren last summer.

There has been speculation McClaren's future is on the line after England's poor start to their qualifying group and O'Neill would inevitably be again linked with the role if a change is made.

But the former Celtic boss is fully committed to rebuilding Villa under Randy Lerner as he revealed his confidence in England to reach the finals in Austria and Switzerland.

O'Neill said: "Firstly, I'm absolutely and utterly committed to Aston Villa Football Club - as is the owner. We want to do something about it.

"Secondly, I'd like to try to win some football games. I want to win more games than we have done.

"Thirdly, I believe that England will definitely qualify from the group. I think they're good enough to qualify and I think the present manager will ride out the storm and be okay.

"It's always the case - every single time England do not win a game people think they should win - there's a storm. That's my own view.

"I have total focus here on trying to win some games. It doesn't matter if we're sitting 13th in the league or fourth in the league, I'm absolutely committed here.

"That (England) is something that's happened in the past and my own belief is that the England manager should be allowed to get on with it, having managed for only a few games."