We look back at recent England bosses and see how they got on in their opening qualifiers.
From Hoddle to Capello, we take a look back at recent England managers and see how they have got on in their opening qualifiers
Roy Hodgson on Friday night takes charge of his first international qualifier as England boss when his team face Moldova in Chisinau in the opening game of their World Cup 2014 campaign.
Here,
Sky Sports looks at how recent England managers have fared in their beginning qualifying matches.
GLENN HODDLE
September 1996 - Moldova 0 England 3
Marked the start of his reign as Terry Venables' replacement by handing David Beckham his first cap for the World Cup qualifier in Chisinau. Goals from Nick Barmby, Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer ensured a comfortable win as the feel-good factor created by Euro '96 continued.
KEVIN KEEGAN
March 1999 - England 3 Poland 1
Helped England revive their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2000 with this emphatic win at Wembley in which Paul Scholes scored a hat-trick. The Manchester United player struck twice in the first 20 minutes and, after Poland skipper Jerzy Brzeczek had reduced the arrears before the break, completed his treble in a match where Andy Cole made his first start and Tim Sherwood his debut at the age of 30.
SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON
March 2001 - England 2 Finland 1
Saw England collect their first win in the 2002 World Cup qualification campaign but only after being given a scare at Anfield by the Finns who had already held them at home when Howard Wilkinson was caretaker boss. A Gary Neville own goal gave Finland a shock lead but local favourite Michael Owen levelled on the stroke of half-time before David Beckham grabbed the winner soon after the interval. Only six months later, England hammered Germany 5-1 in Munich in the pivotal group match.
STEVE McCLAREN
September 2006 - England 5 Andorra 0
Got off to the perfect start - after Eriksson ended his five-year reign - in a Euro 2008 qualifier as two goals from Peter Crouch took his tally to 10 in nine internationals. Jermain Defoe (two) and Steven Gerrard completed the rout but it was a false dawn as England's Wembley defeat by Croatia the following year meant they failed to qualify.
FABIO CAPELLO
September 2008 - Andorra 0 England 2
Substitute Joe Cole spared the blushes with two second-half goals in this World Cup 2010 qualifier in the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona within 10 minutes of coming off the bench. England had been booed off at half-time after failing to break down the side ranked 186th in the world but Cole ensured the campaign started with a win with strikes after 49 and 55 minutes.
