The place: Wembley Stadium. The occasion: England versus Croatia, Euro 2008 qualifying fixture. The verdict? It is certainly the darkest hour for English football since Graham Taylor's 1993 side was undone by Holland and missed the World Cup finals in the United States. It may be the biggest disappointment for England since the 1970s, a miserable period more memorable for players' sideburns than sporting success.

For those who care about such things, the past 18 months have been such a shambles, and defeat this week held so few redeeming features, that it is the worst moment in English football history.

The dismissal of Steve McClaren, the pitiable head coach, was as inevitable as it was rapid. But recriminations will not stop with him being handed his P45 and a huge payout. As stout, and no doubt honourable as he was, McClaren never looked comfortable in the job. His appointment, as well as the poor results during his tenure, raise searching questions about the capacity of the Football Association to make sensible decisions.

England is a big football nation. It is rich in talent, enthusiasm, heritage and financial resources. The Premier League is widely considered to be the best in the world. England fans are entitled to feel that their national team will at least contend for European Championships and World Cups. They may not always win but should always reach the tournament finals.

That the FA needs to acquire a basic level of managerial and organisational competence is clear. There is a misguided view that some sort of quota system should be imposed on club sides in order to ensure that more English footballers play at a high level. This is flawed, not least because barriers will dilute the quality of club football, and it might even be illegal under employment law.

The long-running debate about the nationality of the coach also undermines the argument. That debate is surely concluded in favour of those who want the side to be supervised by the best manager, not the best English manager.

The English football team are in dreadful disarray. But football in England— enjoyed by millions for 40-odd weeks a year— is in a golden age. There is great potential to be found on English pitches, but the boardroom is badly run and the results are third-rate. It is time to bring on a few substitutes.