Shaun Wane has gone: but does it really matter who coaches England at this point?

Shaun Wane has gone after a Test series whitewash at the hands of Australia. The search for the next appointment is underway.

Whoever takes it, takes on mission impossible. The England job isn’t necessarily a poisoned chalice, but it’s a gig where it’s very difficult to achieve what is required to be considered a success.

Only World Cup glory means anything for England but the cold reality right now is that it appears there is no chance of that happening.

The Ashes series was sobering. We all have our opinions on team selection but the reality is that Australia showed how far ahead they are 12 months out from a World Cup on home soil.

So the next England coach has to counteract that, difficult in any circumstances, let alone the ones they come into.

No mid-season international, no space in the schedule for training camps, little to no contact time with the players and all off the back of a campaign that has the most congested schedule of all. There were several players not fully fit who played in the Ashes, it’s hard to see this year being any different.

England have great players and a great team, but they need help. There is none coming. Call me a pessimist, it’s hard to see a reality where England win a World Cup, regardless of who takes the reins.

Rugby Football League CEO Abi Ekoku suggested the role could go part-time moving forward. It’s a strong hint that the next person in charge will have an active role in the game right now. It’s reasonable to assume they’ll be looking at the current Super League head coaches.

It remains an attractive job, let’s be clear about that, and one other benefit is perhaps that expectations have not been as low as this for a long time. Regardless, you have to wish good luck to whoever takes it on. They’re going to need it.

As for Wane, he will no doubt be devastated, but he may also feel relief. You’ll struggle to find anyone with more pride than Wane and he was certain in his mind that England would overcome Australia in the series.

However, he had to grin and bear a lot. Lack of time with the job, lack of resource, lack of everything. Publicly, he never moaned. Privately, you can be certain he was frustrated.

But that’s his issue no longer.