Seven candidates to take over as England boss

England will begin the search for a new manager after the 2-1 defeat to Iceland to exit Euro 2016 last night.

England's humiliating 2-1 defeat at the hands of Iceland at Euro 2016 has seen Roy Hodgson step down as manager. Who will the Football Association turn to to take over?Here we look at some leading contenders:

1. Gareth Southgate

England U21 manager Gareth Southgate — (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Highly thought of by the decision-makers at the FA, the former Middlesbrough boss was brought into the fold to coach the under-21s with an eye on future progression. Faltered at last year's Under-21 European Championship but led the team to victory at the Toulon tournament just weeks ago.

2. Alan Pardew

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew — (Mike Egerton/PA)

Seemed to be a new man after swapping Newcastle for Crystal Palace and some fine early-season results saw him seriously linked with the England job for the first time in his career. But results tailed off badly as the campaign progressed and the window of opportunity may be closing.

3. Gary Neville

England Assistant Manager Gary Neville — (Tim Goode/PA)

Seemed a heavy favourite to progress from his role as Hodgson's assistant until his ill-advised stint with Valencia saw his stock plummet. It may yet be decided that that was a case of the wrong job but the right man and although his involvement in the current set-up gives him a link to the squad, the fact he stepped down along with Hodgson may rule him out.

4. Eddie Howe

A smart, erudite and tactically savvy coach who, at 38, looks to have a bright future at the top of the game. The FA must surely be monitoring the Bournemouth boss, though they may want to see him move to a bigger club before handing him the reigns of the national side.

5. Sam Allardyce

Has always coveted the post and has spoken confidently about the qualities he would bring to it. Keeping Sunderland in the Premier League last term was another impressive achievement for his CV but he may be viewed as a retrograde appointment.

6. Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger — (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The prospect of the cultured, technically minded Frenchman with Anglophile tendencies overseeing a Three Lions revolution is a highly attractive option. After 20 years with Arsenal, might he finally be persuaded to seek a new challenge?