Woodward in demand according to the tabs.

[Duke Raoul]

WOODY IS OFFERED A BIG JOB IN FOOTBALL
EXCLUSIVE
By Alex Spink, The Mirror

ENGLAND rugby's plans to bring back Sir Clive Woodward were thrown into doubt last night when it emerged he has been offered a job managing a Football League club.


Woodward, director of football at Southampton, is on a five-man shortlist to return to Twickenham in the newly-created role of elite rugby director.


However, after just eight months in football, Woodward has been offered the chance to become a club manager.


And Jim Hone, chief executive of the group expected to take over at Saints, also wants to keep Woodward at St Mary's beyond the end of chairman Rupert Lowe's reign.


IT BEGAN with assurances that Southampton Football Club did not wish to lose the services of Sir Clive Woodward.


Then yesterday it emerged that Woodward has been approached by another football club and offered the job of manager.


If English rugby did not know it before, it now has a real fight on its hands to reunite its World Cup-winning knight with the Red Rose brigade.


Woodward has been interviewed by headhunters hired by the Rugby Football Union to scour the world for the best candidate to fill the new role of Elite Rugby Director.


He undoubtedly satisfies the criteria and while he did not apply for the post, he admits the opportunity to shape the long-term strategy for English rugby's elite game is a "lovely job for the right person".


But Southampton's director of football is just one name on a shortlist understood to also comprise Nick Mallett, Rob Andrew, Warren Gatland and Eddie Jones.


And with the RFU apparently in no hurry to make an appointment they are running the risk of losing out on the man who gave them their finest hour.


A month or so ago it didn't seem a great problem. Woodward's football stock was low and it seemed he would be following Rupert Lowe out of the door at St Mary's.


But Saints finished the campaign strongly and on Sunday Jim Hone, chief executive of the group bidding to take over the club, stated that Woodward "definitely" had a future at Southampton.


That may or may not have been in response to the offer Woodward has received to fulfil his soccer ambition and manage a Football League club after only eight months in the game.


But he is bound to be tempted by football's sudden show of affection, especially as there will be opposition to him returning to rugby from influential figures in the game.


"It would be an interesting challenge for someone who basically slagged off everyone when he left," Newcastle boss Andrew said last week.


"It left a very sour taste, given that he had received a great deal of support from the clubs in the lead-up to the last World Cup."


Woodward is unlikely to want the job if he has to fight his way back into Twickenham. But, on yesterday's evidence, it seems whoever gets it will need body armour. No sooner had England announced that they will play New Zealand at Twickenham on November 5 than the clubs declared that their players will not be released.


Premier Rugby claims the game, to celebrate the Twickenham's new £100m South Stand, breaks an agreement about the number of matches in a season.


Among the clubs who could be in for Sir Clive in the summer are:


BRIGHTON: Knives are out for Mark McGhee after a dismal, rockbottom relegation campaign.


IPSWICH: Snubbed by their top targets to replace sacked Joe Royle - despite their Premiership-quality facilities.


HULL: Peter Taylor is a wanted man. The England Under-21 coach was allowed to speak to Charlton last week, but turned them down.


COLCHESTER: Fighting to keep Phil Parkinson, another young manager in the spotlight, with the Premiership big guns circling.


LINCOLN: Speculation rife Keith Alexander will leave following defeat in the play-offs by Grimsby.