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LONDON (AP) -Sampling of British newspaper reaction Thursday to England's 2-1 defeat to Russia in a 2008 European Championship qualifier:
"Kick Him Into Touch" - front-page headline in The Sun with England manager Steve McClaren's head superimposed on a rugby ball.
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"We are now a second-class football nation and had better get used to it" - Sun writer Steven Howard.
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"The clock has been running on McClaren from the day he was controversially appointed, with widespread predictions that the honeymoon period would be so short the divorce could occur walking back down the aisle...The FA must appoint a true No 1, a real leader." - Daily Telegraph writer Henry Winter.
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"Vultures circle over twitching corpse of McClaren's regime" - The Times of London headline.
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"England are not out of the European Championship this morning, Steve McClaren is not out of a job. Both events, however, would appear to be a matter of time." - Times writer Martin Samuel.
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"If, as now looks likely, England are conspicuous by their absence from Euro 2008 the former Middlesbrough manager can hardly feel his sacking is a matter for an employment tribunal." - Guardian writer Daniel Taylor.
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"England's so-called golden generation have threatened it for years but now they really do have the monument to their under-achievement for history to remember." - Independent writer Sam Wallace.
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"Rouble and Strife" - Daily Mirror headline.
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"Goodnight Vienna, farewell Geneva, goodbye Steve McClaren." - Daily Mail writer Matt Lawton.
