GARETH Southgate’s England are lying a cosy 12th in the FIFA world rankings, so it’s reasonable to assume that there are 11 other nations with a better chance of lifting the World Cup in Russia next year.

In rugby union, there have been four winners (New Zealand, Australia, England and South Africa) in their eight World Cups since the first was held in 1987.

Add France – three times beaten finalists – and Argentina as possible heavyweight outsiders, and you’ve got something close to a major international sporting event.

Even cricket’s World Cup, which is more like a Commonwealth Games than an Olympics, can find a place on the big stage.

Which leaves the rugby league version, first held way back in 1954, as the older but poor relation of its 15-a-side cousin.

It is 45 years since Clive Sullivan lifted the trophy in Lyon on behalf of Great Britain. Since then, zilch! Nothing has improved since GB morphed into the four home nations.

And it is hard to ignore the patronising digs from fans of other sports that England cannot even win a trophy in which they face only one serious challenger – two at a stretch – in eight attempts. Australia have won seven of those and New Zealand the other.

A total of 14 countries will play in the 2017 version, which starts in Melbourne on Friday with England against Australia.

The Kiwis are in a sorry state, so anything other than a repeat of that head-to-head in the final in Brisbane on December 2 would be a body blow to the game here.

Every World Cup includes teams who are in there to make up the numbers, and Lebanon, USA and Italy will be among those hoping for nothing more than to avoid cricket score defeats.

Whatever happens, though, Australia will have the biggest say for a number of reasons. A third of the 336 players (115) were born there; seven of the 14 coaches are Australian – including England’s – and the Kangaroos have appeared in every final except the first.

Even if Wayne Bennett pulls off a Leicester-type miracle and England win the trophy, Australia will claim the credit. Bless 'em.

THE chances are that by this time tomorrow – maybe even sooner than that – another manager will be looking for a new job. And you can take your pick from a lengthy list.

In the aftermath of the weekend’s matches, the names of Slaven Bilic, Ronald Koeman, Paul Clement, Mark Hughes, Gary Monk, Tony Pulis and even the boss of Chelsea, Antonio Conte, had been the target for unhappy fans jamming the phone lines.

And there is one thing that is never far from the reach of club owners. It’s known as the panic button.

The print was hardly dry on last Tuesday’s Mail when we discovered that Leicester City had pulled the plug on Craig Shakespeare’s short career in charge at the King Power.

The Foxes had slipped into the bottom three of the Premier League after a 1-1 draw (one place lower than the day they appointed him to replace Claudio Ranieri).

It’s probably all Ranieri’s fault anyway. By winning the Premier League, he gave the King Power hierarchy more than just the biggest prize in the British game, he also had them believing that they should be regulars at the top table. One miracle just wasn’t enough for them.

The owners of Leicester City, until recently many people’s “second” team, must think that the football world is awash with managers queuing up to move to the Midlands.

And meanwhile, it has probably slipped their notice that the man they sacked after a run of bad results is not doing too badly for himself right now.

Ranieri is the manager of French club Nantes, who are lying third behind two of the world’s richest sides, Paris St Germain and Monaco. Not bad for a Leicester City reject.

The old saying about being careful what you wish for clearly hasn’t reached the boardrooms or the fan bases at a lot of clubs. Managers who were the answer to their prayers only a few months ago haven’t become failures overnight.

“Don’t panic!” was the advice in a crisis from Corporal Jack Jones. Maybe football club owners didn’t watch Dad’s Army.

IT may be hard to believe, but Ronnie O’Sullivan’s win in the English Open was the Rocket’s first ranking success for almost two years.

His 9-2 victory over Kyren Wilson at Barnsley’s Metrodome put him in line for a £1m bonus, a prize he will collect if he can add the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Opens to his England title.

It’s been said often enough, but worth repeating – snooker is far more entertaining to watch when O’Sullivan is at the table.

But nothing is ever straight forward when Ronnie is involved. Somehow he managed to turn up to the final without his cue!

A cricketer goes to the crease without his bat I can understand, but a snooker player without his cue? I wonder if Roger Federer has ever forgotten to take his racquets on to Wimbledon?

Meanwhile, another of our sporting super stars is on the brink of yet more success.

Lewis Hamilton’s victory in the US Grand Prix takes him to the brink of his fourth world title, making him Britain’s finest ever racing driver. Mind you, he could never have achieved it without his car…