A powerful group of Premier League chairmen are behind secret moves to oust Steve McClaren as England manager before the crucial European Championship qualifier in Estonia on June 6.

The group of top bosses are so alarmed by the decline of the national team since McClaren succeeded Sven Goran Eriksson seven months ago that they have been plotting to pressurise the Football Association into taking urgent action.

The dissidents intend to lobby FA chief executive Brian Barwick and members of the international committee with the sole purpose of removing McClaren and persuading his assistant, Terry Venables, to take temporary charge of the England team for the duration of the European campaign.