And other top managers have lambasted the vitriol suffered by McClaren in Barcelona on Wednesday, with the 12,000-strong visiting support turning on him 20 minutes into the 3-0 Euro 2008 qualifying win over Andorra.

Ferguson has looked on at the situation with a mixture of sorrow for his former Manchester United assistant and resignation, fearing the cynicism within society at large played a huge role in such an extreme reaction.

"We have a mocking situation in this country now," he observed.

"You see it on all these TV shows where the panellists criticise the contestants. It is a mocking culture. They mock the man. They ridicule him. It is hard to take.

"Where you apportion blame I don't know.

"When you see the behaviour of some of the fans this week, deary me. Who has generated that? Is the press to blame for that or is it just our culture? I have my feelings and views but I have no hard evidence.

"I don't know the answer either, other than making sure your team wins 5-0 every game. That might stop it." Ferguson's last comment was delivered with his tongue firmly in his cheek.

Although he knows McClaren is a strong character, who will not buckle easily no matter how much he finds himself in the spotlight, the United boss - who led Scotland to the 1986 World Cup following the death of Jock Stein - accepts his former deputy must be feeling the pressure.

"I don't think anyone can enjoy what is happening to Steve," he said.

"Previous England managers have had to put up with the same kind of thing and he will be feeling it. But he is a man and he will get on with it. He has given the indication he will get on with it."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has also condemned the criticism.

He believes too much was expected of McClaren's men in the European Championship double-header.

He said: "I feel sorry for him because it's unfair.

"The aggression level is very, very high and it's a period of the season when it's difficult to be fresh.

"Overall, I feel football has created its own problems with the multiplication of small countries.

"It's always 90% of the time in a game where the big reputed country has to win with a high score against a team who's happy with a 0-0, and it creates the kind of games you see."

Wenger - who has been linked with the England job in the past - insists such criticism would not put him off accepting the role in the future.

He told Arsenal TV Online: "I wouldn't say that [the criticism] would put me off. I just like to be involved on a daily basis."

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder admits successive England managers have been blighted by the weight of unrealistic expectation.

Asked if the England job is still one managers should aspire to, he said: "I would have thought so. If it is not, I do not think the person concerned is as ambitious as he should be.

"If that opportunity comes knocking - and it only comes knocking for a very, very few - you have to make that difficult decision of whether you take a job some people have described as a poisoned chalice.

"In many respects, it is. The expectations of England, in my opinion, far outweigh its achievements since 1966 when we last won a major tournament.

"You have to take that weight of expectation with you when you take the job and try to produce a winning team, which if we are honest, we have not done for many, many years."

He added: "It is disappointing how heavy the criticism of Steve has been, but he will know, I know and every manager in the Premiership and all the other divisions knows what the rules are of being a manager.

"If you win, you get plenty of pats on the back; if you do not win or you do not play well, then you get stick.

"But sometimes nowadays, that is over the top."

Wigan manager Paul Jewell said: "I wouldn't want his job for all the tea in China.

"There's no denying England weren't anything other than average. They weren't very good, and I don't think Steve or the players would deny that.

"But some of the stick he and the players have had has been over the top, although it's gone past criticism. It's almost hatred in some people's eyes.

"Some of the venom that has come out of people's mouths, and some of the stuff that has been written and said has not been pleasant.

"He knows he hasn't done well and the team hasn't done well, but no-one has been killed.

"It's gone past passion now. It's reached the point of hatred, and it's sad, but that's the way football is going."

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp said: "I've never really fancied that job, to be honest - especially with what is happening to Steve McClaren.

"Every manager has had to take flak but this is too much. It doesn't help anybody. Besides, I couldn't have a job where you spend most of the time sitting around in an office.

"When I started at Pompey as director of football the highlight of the day was a cup of tea and a cake with the chairman.

"I would far rather be out with players training on a day-to-day basis, totally involved. That's why I'm here now."

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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said: "I have sympathy with Steve McClaren. At this stage, you should back your international manager, but it is ridiculous that he cannot be happy when his team win 3-0, because of the pressures of playing against teams who cannot win.

"This sort of pressure is usual for international managers - you have to accept it. But everybody should support the national manager."

Benitez believes those pressures would decrease if sides were not facing meaningless games.

He said: "It makes no sense playing matches against teams who can never win.

"There should be qualifying competitions ahead of the main draw. An 'A' and a 'B' competition, with the smaller nations playing to be able to compete against the big countries."