John Kirwan, the former Italy coach and All Black, has said it would be an "honour" to succeed Martin Johnson as the England team manager and that the Rugby Football Union's current problems would not be an issue.

It is understood that, with only a short time until the start of the Six Nations in the new year, the 46-year-old would be prepared to take the job on a temporary basis provided success with England would lead to a longer contract.

Kirwan, who has experience of Six Nations rugby during his time in charge of Italy between 2002 and 2005, said: "It would be an honour for me to coach the English side. I think it would be a fantastic job. The team is really exciting. I'm a head coach but I specialise in attack and unleashing the England attack would be something really exciting."

Despite the turmoil at Twickenham following the leaking of three reports into the disappointing World Cup in New Zealand under Johnson and the calls for Rob Andrew to resign as director of elite rugby, Kirwan is still keen to become the new coach.

He said: "There's always ups and downs. For me as the head coach you need to understand and have a working relationship with the people above you but the main job is to make sure everything is functioning underneath you and the team is performing to the best of its ability. I've worked at some interesting places like Italy – I understand the Six Nations and Italy had its challenges as well from that point of view. The buffer [between players and executives] is the head coach. What happens above me should not affect the players."

Kirwan, who as a player won the inaugural World Cup in 1987 and who has just finished four years in charge of Japan, said of the potential of the current England team: "As a head coach I think the job would be very exciting because of the quality of the Premiership – I watch most games – and the team would be an exciting one. There are a few things that as a coach I look at and think: 'Yeah, there's challenges but it's certainly a challenge that excites me.'

"I don't want to criticise what's gone before me; I've lots of respect for Martin – winning the Six Nations last year they played some really good footie. But Chris Ashton, Ben Foden, Toby Flood – as an attack coach that sort of calibre of player really excites me. You could really unleash those guys. For me to move a team like that forward would be a really big challenge."