London, May 5:

Steve McClaren was selected as England soccer coach on Thursday, taking over from Sven-Goran Eriksson after the World Cup in Germany.

The Middlesbrough manager, who has been Eriksson’s assistant for five years, was appointed by the FA after a three-month search for a new coach. The FA said that McClaren signed a four-year contract and would start the job on August 1.

“This is the biggest honour that any coach can have, and is obviously the highlight of my career,” he said. “It’s a massive challenge and one that I welcome.” McClaren wasn’t the first choice, only getting the job after Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari turned down the FA last week.

The FA picked an Englishman to succeed Eriksson, a Swede who was the first foreigner to coach the national side. Eriksson is stepping down after the World Cup, two years before the end of his contract. “You know what I think about McClaren, he is extremely good,” he said. “As a coach, he has been perfect. Every time.”

McClaren, 45, who also served as Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United for two years, has guided Middlesbrough to next Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final against Sevilla. It’s the first European final for the club.

“I have hugely enjoyed my time at Middlesbrough and am very grateful to the club,” McClaren said. “However, this was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.” McClaren’s appointment will please those England fans who oppose hiring another foreign coach and believe the national team should be headed by a homegrown manager.

But McClaren wasn’t the popular choice of the fans or the media, with various polls putting him far behind other candidates. Critics consider him bland and lacking in charisma, and question his overall success as a club manager. Other candidates included Bolton’s Sam Allardyce, former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill and Charlton’s Alan Curbishley.