LONDON. Feb 1 (Reuters/ Internet): Bryan Robson emerged on Monday as the favourite to be come the next England coach if Glenn Hoddle resigns or is sacked following his remarks about the disabled.

Robson. 42. a former England team-mate of Hoddie's in the 1980s and now the manager of Middlesborough, was part of Terry Venables's England coaching staff when the team 1 reached the semifinals of Euro 96.

He left the England set-up when Hoddle was appointed in succession to Venables in the summer of 1996.

Meanwhile. British Prime Minister Tony Blair stepped into the row over Hoodie's alleged remarks.

Blair said in a television interview he thought it would be hard for Hoddle to remain in position if the remarks he is reported to have made are true.

The Prime Minister said: "If he has said what he was reported to have said in the way ne is reported to have said it. then it was very wrong. It would be very difficult for him to stay. It was very offensive."

Bookmakers William Hill, who are so certain Hoddle will depart that they have stopped taking bets on it, have Installed Robson as the 6-4 favourite to succeed him.

Nicknamed "Captain Marvel" in his playing days for battling back from so many careerthreatening injuries, Robson played 90 times for England. 70 of them as Captain, and is the only man to have skippered three FA Cup final-winning teams, a feat he achieved with Manchester United in 1983. 1985 and 1990. He also played in United's title-winning teams, of 1993 and 1994.

Venables. Hoddie's immedi-

never to work for them again while his old adversary Noel White is still On the International Committee.

Kevin Keegan, another former England captain and currently coaching Fulham's revival at the top of the second di-vision, would be a popular • choice arid, like Venables, he would have the respect of players. public and mema.

He is ranked a joint 5-1 choice with John Gregory, who has done a superb job at Aston Villa in the last year but lacks experience at the highest level.

David Platt, another former

ate predecessor, would be available immediately following his recent departure from Crystal I’aldbe and would doubtless be a popular choice among certain sections of the media, wide sections of the public and. most importantly, the players.

But he left the Football Association (FA) under a cloud in 1996 due to his off-field business dealings.and has vowed

England international who stopped playing only at the end of last season, has been tipped as a future England manager and is ranked as 7-1 choice by Hills.

But he has made a poor start to his new managerial career at Italy's Sampdoria. who have gone six matches without a win Since he took over last month. Ie would appear not to be a realistic candidate.

England have never been coached or managed by anyone other than an Englishman — and it is unlikely the arch-conservative FA would invite the likes of Newcastle's Dutch coach Ruud Gullit. Liverpool’s French boss Gerard Houllier or Tottenham’s Scottish manager George Graham to apply for the position.

But they could not fail to be impressed by the success Frenchman Arsene Wenger achieved last season when he led Arsenal to the FA Cup and league double. He is ranked at 10-1 in the voting stakes

If they were to choose a non-Englishman, a more logical choice would probably be Manchester United's Scottish manager Alex Ferguson, who has won every major domestic honour in the game and built United into the top team in the country.

William Hill’s rate him only a 25-1 choice, along -with the FA's technical director Howard Wilkinson, who took Leeds to the title in 1992.

Wilkinson could be the ideal choice to step in as, a caretaker coach in time for next week's friendly against world champions France but whether he would want the job on a permanent basis is debatable.

The strongest candidate would appear to be Robson, who could well be in place by the time England play their next Euro 2000 qualifying match against Poland at Wembley Stadium on March 27.