Clifford cuts ties with McClaren

Publicist Max Clifford has ended his working relationship with England manager Steve McClaren.

Clifford was hired by McClaren and his management company Key Sports Management to "promote and protect" the national team boss in the media.

However, the man who also assisted former Football Association secretary Faria Alam after she hit the headlines following her affairs with former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and former FA chief executive Mark Palios claims the FA are "unhappy" with him being involved with McClaren.

"Over the past couple of months it has become increasingly obvious to me that I am surplus to needs and that the FA want to take care of everything to do with the media," Clifford said.

"In the early stages Steve certainly seemed to understand (Clifford's advice) and I think a lot of the things I talked about, he would like to have done and thought were good ideas but it just didn't materialise."

McClaren has come in for major criticism in the media following England's goalless draw at home to Macedonia and defeat away to Croatia.

Asked how much he thought McClaren understood about the media, Clifford told BBC Radio Five Live's Stephen Nolan programme: "Not a lot. Actions speak for themselves. The FA have obviously managed to convince him that they are capable of looking after his needs.

"In the early days the relationship was warm and friendly and had all the signs of a promising relationship."

Clifford claims the cancellation of a fact-finding trip by McClaren to the United States was not the manager's decision.

"Suddenly to do a full circle, to say 'we're not going', things like that to me show he is not making his own mind up any more, people are making up his mind for him," he said.

"Once you start being dictated to by your bosses or the media then I'm afraid it's a difficult but slippery slope downwards."