FA receive 142 applications to replace Neville as Lionesses boss

The FA has revealed there has been huge interest in filling the England manager's role being vacated by Phil Neville, with 142 applications for the post.

Of those, more than half have fulfilled the FA's criteria for the job. It is understood World Cup-winning USA coach Jill Ellis, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes and Manchester United's Casey Stoner are among the interested candidates.

Neville will step down early next summer, meaning the new manager will lead England at the 2021 Euros as well as potentially be in charge of Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics.

Baroness Campbell, the FA's head of women's football, told the Fair Play: Women in Sport Show: "We've had an unbelievable response. I'm not judging it against what we've had in the past, it's saying, 'who has got the ability to take us right to the top of Everest?'

"We're at the final camp - how do we get to the top of that mountain? That's what my job is. To find that person for the players. They deserve the best and I want to get them the best if I can."

 She also acknowledged the difficulties caused by a £75 million budget cut following the coronavirus crisis. "I'm afraid the reality is smaller budgets, smaller focus, smaller staffing," she added.

"What we're talking about now is what do we stop, and how do we find different, creative ways to do some of the things we were going to do through funding."