Bryan Robson has been hailed as a miracle worker by John Barnwell, who also believes the West Bromwich Albion boss could go on to manage England one day.

Barnwell, the chief executive of the League Managers' Association, is highly impressed by how Robson kept the Baggies in the Premiership this season despite inheriting a team which seemed certain to be relegated when he was appointed last November.

Though Chelsea's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho hogged the limelight, Barnwell believes Robson's feat illustrates that talented English managers do exist.

And Barnwell says Albion's 48-year-old manager, who captained England as a player, should now be considered as a possible replacement for Sven-G^ran Eriksson when the Swede eventually stops managing the national team.

Barnwell said: "Bryan arrived at West Brom at a time in their season which wasn't going very well and managed to do the highly improbable by keeping them in the Premiership. It was nothing short of miraculous and massive for himself and the club.

"It is good for Bryan Robson and it is good because it shows people who say there are no good English managers capable of managing the national team are talking nonsense.

"There are several very, very good domestic managers in this country and Bryan has demonstrated he is one.

" Circumstances were against him at Albion, but he showed his abilities and performed brilliantly.

"I'm sure he'll want to manage his country one day and his name will be mentioned in connection with that role again after this.

"I doubt he'll want to consider doing that until later in his management career because managing England is the pinnacle but you never know."

Barnwell's glowing assessment is typical of the lavish praise Robson has received from contemporaries in the business since Albion beat the drop of the final day of the season at the expense of Crystal Palace, Norwich and Southampton.

And Barnwell disclosed Robson received plenty of votes from his members at their end-of-season bash last week when Everton boss David Moyes was named manager of the year for guiding the Merseyside club to fourth in the Premiership.

Barnwell added: "The Premiership is now very difficult for sides coming up from the Championship - all three of the newly promoted sides almost went down this season.

"But West Brom deserved to stay up because in the last part of the campaign they were playing the type of football associated with top six teams.

"The early signs were not very good when Bryan and Nigel Pearson - who also deserves a lot of praise - took over but they got their teeth into it.

"Outside of West Bromwich they did not make a big noise, they kept their council and managed in difficult times with a lot of dignity and common sense.

"I think the other managers respect that, which is why Bryan got a lot of votes for our manager of the year."

Mourinho, Bolton Wanderers' manager Sam Allardyce and Luton Town boss Mike Newell, were also in the frame with Robson and Moyes for their profession's most prestigious accolade.

But of the five managers, Robson's success this season is arguably the sweetest because he has been out of top-flight management since his stint in charge of Middlesbrough was overshadowed by allegations of a drinking culture which contributed to him leaving the club in December 2000.

Barnwell added: "Bryan Robson was a terrific player and it would have been sad if his management career had finished on a sour note.

"Now he can look forward to the rest of his career, though, and I hope he enjoys his summer and reflects on West Brom's achievement."