LONDON: Greg Dyke, chairman of the Football Association, has said that Hope Powell has run out of time as manager of the England women’s football team.

Powell was sacked on Monday after 15 years in charges following the group stages exit at Euro 2013 last month. England lost two matches and drew one in Sweden, their worst performance at a European Championship since 2001.

Dyke said: “Hope has done a great job but we can all only do jobs for a certain amount of time long. Every so often you do need a change. There is a period when you are most effective and in time you become less effective and that was the decision within the FA regarding Hope.”

Powell’s England were losing finalists at Euro 2009 and reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2007 and 2011. Home fans were disappointed that Powell’s England-based GB team lost in the quarter-finals of the London 2012 Olympic Games to Canada.

FA general secretary Alex Horne said “the time is right to make a change and for a fresh outlook.”

He added: “Hope deserves a lot of credit for her commitment to developing the national teams over such a long period. The high point was undoubtedly reaching the UEFA European Championship final four years ago.

“Hope will always be welcome back at Wembley Stadium and [national football centre] St George’s Park and she leaves a strong legacy, having helped the FA build the women’s game to the strong position it is in today.”

###########