The Englishman in the running for the Republic of Ireland job has criticised the appointment of Italian Fabio Capello as successor to Steve McClaren and insists he himself is in no rush to make a decision on his future.

Terry Venables is firm favourite to succeed Steve Staunton as Ireland manager and is also linked with the vacant Bulgarian job, but says he is "not planning anything" at the moment despite "quite a lot of interest".

Venables was second to McClaren during England's dismal Euro 2008 qualifying campaign but believes that the FA should have persisted with a homegrown managerial team.

Capello, a hugely successful club manager with AC Milan, Real Madrid and Roma, signed a four-and-half-year contract with the FA nine days ago. It was an appointment that attracted praise and criticism in relatively equal measure.

"I think it should have been an English coach," Venables told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme. "The Dutch, French, Germans and Italians would not have done it because from their point of view it would be an indictment on them and their own coaching courses.

"If we're not good enough, then that's fine, but they would prefer to have someone who is going to have a simple plan and get the good players going.

"They would rather not win, than do that (appoint a foreigner).

"As for me, I would have appointed an Englishman. Now the guy is a very good coach, a very good name and he has had successes. As they say, the CV is great.

"It's up to him now to get on, and we will see how he does as to whether it is right or wrong. There's no point guessing. Let the show go on."

Venables, though, believes it is now incumbent on the FA to act for the good of the game in the future.

"If you want success it has to happen. The FA has a big job on, and they have to get down to the problems because with any business, it starts with the people at the top.

As for his own future, Venables is keen to take things at his own pace and on his own terms. The FAI's recruitment team consists of the Englishman's former teammate Don Given's and Don Howe, who coached in the England set-up when Venables was manager.

Venables, though, is biding his time as he said: "I'm not planning anything.

"I've had quite a lot of interest, which is great, but I'm not in a rush, so I'm just going to wait and see.

"If something comes along, fine. If it doesn't, fine."

Venables has already held discussions with the Bulgarian FA after the resignation of Hristo Stoichkov and they are awaiting his "answers".  Bulgaria is one of the teams in Ireland's qualification group for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  The group also contains world champions Italy, Montenegro and Georgia.