The Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari now appears to be back in the running, along with the favourite Steve McClaren. The Middlesbrough manager remains the front-runner to land the job despite not having an advocate on the committee who has backed his case from the start. However, with elements of the committee unwilling to give up on their first choices it appears that Scolari, who has been championed by Arsenal's vice-chairman David Dein, is being seriously considered as an alternative. The committee have talked around so many possibilities without arriving at a decision that Scolari, who appeared to rule himself out on Sunday, is now a possibility. The Football Association's five-man committee charged with finding the new England manager met yesterday for a crucial meeting but are no closer to a resolution. I'm certainly giving them as much as I've got." West of the Tamar to West Ham Four more Cornish footballing exiles * NIGEL MARTYN Born: St Austell, August 1966 Position: Goalkeeper Clubs: Bristol Rovers (1987-89) Crystal Palace (1989-96) Leeds United (1996-03) Everton (2003-) England Caps: 23 * WAYNE QUINN Born: Truro, November 1976 Position: Midfielder Clubs: Sheffield United (1995-01, 2003 loan), Newcastle United (2001-04), West Ham United (2003-04 loan), Penzance (2005-) * ANTHONY TONKIN Born: Newlyn, January 1980 Position: Defender Clubs: Yeovil Town (1999-02), Stockport County (2002-03), Crewe Alexandra (2003-) * CHRIS MORRIS Born: Newquay, December 1963 Position: Defender Clubs: Sheffield Wednesday (1982-87) Celtic (1987-92) Middlesbrough (1992-97) Republic of Ireland caps: 35.
I want to concentrate on West Ham, the club that took me on three years ago and showed faith in me I think I'm paying them back now. Can he challenge his place on the left of England's midfield? "I've heard it mentioned and it's nice," says the naturally left-footed Etherington of the prospect of an eventual call-up "If I keep doing well and it's good enough then great But it's out of my hands. He was capped at Under-16, 18, 20 and 21 by England - where he played alongside Steven Gerrard and Jonathan Woodgate - but his progress had slowed Another former team-mate was Joe Cole. Cup success - and being back in the Premiership - will continue to push Etherington's again flourishing international claims.
"We probably had half the team out against Middlesbrough and vice versa. I don't think last Monday's result has any bearing whatsoever on Sunday." Nevertheless, he regards the opposition as favourites. "Middlesbrough have a lot of top-quality players, top names who are on big salaries So they probably would be the rightful favourites. We're above them in the League, but they are in the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup." Indeed, their exertions against Steaua Bucharest may have a bearing on tomorrow's events. The FA Cup, no matter what anyone says, has still got its traditions and is still the world's best cup competition." The two sides met on Easter Monday Boro ran out easy winners "But it will be two different sides," Etherington says. "It adds something else which makes it even more important," Etherington says "We know we're just one game away from Europe. There's a lot riding on it for both teams but, for me, it's a huge occasion in its own right.
It's what you play football for, it's what you live for." With the other semi-finalists, Chelsea and Liverpool, set for next season's Champions' League, the winner of tomorrow's tie goes directly into the Uefa Cup. He is still in touch with Davies, now at Everton of course, as well as other former team-mates such as Exeter City's Matthew Gill and Mansfield Town's Gareth Jelleyman. "We got to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup as a Division Three side, which was unheard of really." Tomorrow Etherington hopes to go one better and - for the first time - reach a final "It's a massive game in every respect. A massive game for the club, for the fans and for the players.