Sir Alex Ferguson once described the post of England football manager as 'the impossible job' and while Stuart Lancaster stopped short of drawing comparisons between that statement and his own role, he said his is a "brilliant job, but a tough one".

As Lancaster unveiled his team for Saturday's match against Uruguay, he fielded questions on his future, the team's prospects, and the review that follows the culmination of the tournament that will delve into England's failings at the World Cup. He said he will take a couple of weeks to weigh up exactly where his head is following their premature exit but was in a reflective, analytical mood on Tuesday following the devastation and shock of Saturday night.

Next up for Lancaster and England is Saturday's Test in Manchester, England's first in the north of England since 2009, and he has given a glimpse of the future with Exeter Chiefs playmaker Henry Slade named at outside centre. Slade will be a key England player in the years to come but whether Lancaster will be there as head coach depends on the findings of the forthcoming review.

Lancaster is happy with a transparent process and says he hopes the review is carried out "properly, privately, professionally and speedily". He did not reveal exactly where his thoughts are at present concerning his own future but said he will wait and see how he and the RFU feel over the next fortnight.

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His position is under the harshest spotlight of his tenure but in a role which faces ever-present scrutiny and is hooked on the need for immediate results, he does not see the England post as an impossible one, though he did say if he could give his 2012 self some advice it would be: "Good luck, get a tin hat and a flak jacket."

"It's a brilliant job but it's a tough job. I think people underestimate the complexity of how injuries, form, fitness, the EPS [Elite Player Squad] agreement, having so many players and the must-win game nature of England rugby affect the decisions you've got to make," Lancaster said. "I understand that, not having nailed a Six Nations or a Grand Slam and certainly not having nailed this World Cup there is no room for error. Obviously that'll all be taken into consideration over the next few weeks."

Whatever happens over the next few weeks, Lancaster feels English rugby is in a great position and it is one they can build on in the years to come ahead of the 2019 World Cup. He pinpoints "discipline, cohesion, and accuracy" as the three areas they must improve on if they are to go from the nearly-men to champions and says this hard World Cup campaign could yet be the making of the team: "Perhaps you've just got to go through that pain of learning from the tough lessons to know that actually to win the biggest games."

After Uruguay, Lancaster will address his players on Sunday morning and then they will then go back to their Aviva Premiership clubs. Some will take a break, some will prefer to get straight back into the thick of it but whoever is in charge for the next time they meet in the England camp, Lancaster feels they are in a much better place than when they started as a group back in 2012.

"If there is one thing I'm determined to do this week it's to finish with everything intact. I think you guys [the press] are looking for conspiracy theories that just aren't there because it's a rock solid team with a rock solid culture - and good people.

"There's going to be boys who are disappointed about selection or whatever, but I had a one-to-one with every player yesterday and my relationship with them has always been strong and it always will remain strong.

"The review will take its course and the players will give their feedback, but from the feedback they've given me - and I've got no reason to doubt why they would tell me something that is not true when they can say what they like really - they believe the team is in a good place. And I do too."