Scolari offered England job. Where does that leave us? Thursday's newspapers will announce that 'Big Phil' Scolari has been offered the England manager's job. The FA's chief executive Brian Barwick has flown to Portugal to finalise the deal, which includes offering the Brazilian £1.5 million a year less than they pay Eriksson. This fact alone could mean that an English manager may still get the job.

However on paper no English manager or British one come to that can match the achievements of Scolari, the only surprise is that he is not the quiet, shy and retiring individual that the nation thought the FA were after. Expect more Brian Clough than Sven-Goran Eriksson in press conferences. The FA made a dreadful mistake never given 'old big head' the job, lets hope for once they have made the right decision.

This of course leaves Charlton fans with the question: "What happens to Curbs now?" What was the score? has said often that he could get the job, because of circumstance rather than compatibility. To many Charlton fans he came closer to getting the job than they could ever have imagined, but a combination of lack of top-notch experience and perceived media naiveness has gone against him.

Question now is does he stay at Charlton for the final year of his contract, sign an extended one or leave the club altogether. Personally I think the former would be asinine as the immediate future of the club and it's manager needs to be assured, the club is not used to such uncertainty.

Equally I think Curbs has shown all the mannerisms recently of knowing that he has come to the end of the road. He and the club seem to have found themselves in that very cul-de-sac that he has mentioned many times before in the 15 years at the club.

With the standard of our football deteriorating, if not necessarily our league 'success,' if judged on position and with the playing squad in need of major surgery and perhaps unprecendented investment Richard Murray has to put the club first. I personally don't think Murray buys into the argument that we frantically need to make changes in order to move to the 'next level,' because this next level isn't very far away - roughly 7 points at the moment! And those early season games proved what can be achieved with a little ambition and risk taking.

Now risk taking are two words that the club's board have rarely considered but this summer I think they must. The club hasn't gone backwards in terms of performance, if judged on points (50 could be achieved for only the 3rd time in 7 Premiership seasons), but what the club has become is stagnant, and stagnant with an ageing squad and a disgruntled fanbase.

I want to see Richard Murray and co become risk takers this summer, I am bored with the same, its monotonous and is driving away fans. All successful organisations need structured change.

I think Curbs will leave in the summer and whether he goes to Villa, Birmingham or more likely becomes a sought-after television pundit whilst waiting for the obvious job vacancies in the Autumn, the time has come to throw the dice and take some risk.

An Alan Curbishley is not easily replaced but there are several good candidates out there. Chris Coleman to name but one. Anyhow, that conversation if for another time and whilst the FA fly to Portugal to address it's future ambitions, Alan Curbishley and Charlton Athletic need to resolve ours.  ¶ 19:09