McClaren and his side are under increasing pressure to beat Israel and Russia over the next week knowing that failure could ultimately result in the former Middlesbrough coach losing his job.

Yet Sharpe believes McClaren should be given until the end of the qualifying campaign before his fate is decided.

The former England winger said: "I think it will be extremely difficult for him if we don't qualify, having seen what Graham Taylor went through as England manager when we didn't qualify for the World cup in America in the 1990s.

"Not qualifying for the European Championships is major and I suppose you should say he should go because he has not done his job. It is a shame that football goes that way and success has to be that instant. I think it might be a bit harsh on him if he does go and then who do we bring in?

"He's having a tough time with injuries and players who are not available. It is not an easy job being England manager, I know he is well paid and has a lot of good players to pick from but it is made harder by people saying he has got to win these next two games or else.

"Let's give him the run to the end of the qualifiers and if we don't qualify, then let's have a look at it. But let's not nit-pick before we know whether we are going or not.

"It's a shame if we can't cut him a bit of slack. We wanted an Englishman as manager and we've got an Englishman, so let's give him more time. I'd like his critics to get behind him a little bit and back him. Once we've backed him and he doesn't do it after that, then he can go."

But Sharpe is under no illusions as to just how big the next two England games have become. He watched Taylor suffer in agony as England failed to reach the World Cup finals in America in 1994 and says the players will feel the same pain if they don't reach the Euro 2008 finals.

Sharpe, speaking at a sponsoredbyyou.com event hosted by England sponsors Nationwide, added: "The games are huge and if we don't qualify his life won't be worth living.

"He would have to walk. Under Graham Taylor it was horrendous. It is the same in the dressing room because you feel physically sick, your stomach is churning and you have headlines running through your head straight away.

"It is horrible, a horrible feeling. You have the weight of the nation on your shoulders going into such games."

But Sharpe does not believe McClaren's side will fail to beat Israel or Russia - even with a spate of injuries robbing England of key players.

Sharpe added: "I am not that nervous. I think we are strong and good enough. The general mentality of the English when backed into a corner is that we come out fighting. I think we will win on Saturday and that will take us nicely into the Russia game full of confidence."