JACK CHARLTON, who resigned last month as the manager of the Republic of Ireland, said yesterday he would be willing to replace Terry Venables as the England coach if the English FA asked him.

Charlton (60), a member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team, told the Sunday Express that if the English FA asked for his; help, he could not refuse to give it.

"If they came in and said the job is yours if you want it, as an Englishman you would not be able to say no, said Charlton who won 35 England caps.

under Charlton's guidance, Ireland reached the World Cup finals - for the first time in 1990, a feat they repeated in 1994. He also took them to the finals of the European Championship for the first time in 1988.

Venables has said he will quit as England boss after this summer's European Championship because of pressing legal commitments.

Many of his possible replacements have said they are not interested in the job.