Paper Round: Southgate in line for England job as FA rule out 'mercenaries'

FA chief executive Martin Glenn is adamant that there will be no more foreign England coaches, says the Daily Star. Indeed, the back pages refer to non-English managers as "mercenaries".

Paper Round's view: If the FA are so desperate to ensure that nobody does their job for the money, purely for the noble love of a country, maybe they would consider not offering a salary package for the England coach's role at all. That would rule out the danger of mercenaries, whether English or foreign. They could provide a small room at Wembley for the successful candidate to live in, perhaps, but other than that, no benefits should be attached at all. The burning zeal of patriotism would be enough motivation for anyone to take on such an honour.

Interim boss Gareth Southgate is in the running to take the England job permanently, according to the Metro.

Paper Round's view: It's interesting how much this is getting reported, almost as if the FA and the newspapers want to convince the rest of us and the more they repeat it, the more likely it is If the FA want an English manager who's unlikely to create scandal or rock the boat, then it's inevitable that Southgate will be their man.

While we're talking about managers, Ryan Giggs is being linked with yet another vacancy - this time at Wigan, according to the Daily Mail, who want him to replace Gary Caldwell.

Paper Round's view: Giggs is always going to be linked with every potential job regardless of whether he's in work or not. Paper Round suspects he might be sitting tight and seeing what unfolds in the Premier League this season. What's more intriguing is Mark Sampson, the England women head coach, being linked to the MK Dons vacancy.

Gary Ballance is still part of the England Test side, according to the Telegraph, but this is his absolute, definite, last and final chance to prove himself.

Paper Round's view: It is to Trevor Baylis's credit that he isn't chopping and changing his batting line-up, but this was Ballance's second bite at the cherry and an average of 22 is not repaying that faith. Anything less than a couple of half-centuries in the second Test and Ballance can have no complaints if he's out of the team.