Mourinho rules out England manager role

[Brasil]

Mourinho rules out England manager role


Written by: AFP

	Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, seen here in September 2007, ruled himself out on Monday of becoming the new manager of the England football team, according to a statement on his agent´s website.

LONDON (AFP) - Jose Mourinho ruled himself out on Monday of becoming the new manager of the England football team, according to a statement on his agent's website.

The Portuguese former Chelsea coach had been one of the leading contenders to replace Steve McClaren, sacked last month by the Football Association (FA) after England's failure to qualify for next year's European Championships.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick and Sir Trevor Brooking, the former England midfielder who is the governing body's director of football development, both made contact with Mourinho.

But in a statement on the www.gestifute website of his agent, Jorge Mendes, Mourinho said: "After Steve McClaren left the England football team, my representatives maintained contact with the FA.

"In that sense, I had myself useful discussions with Brian Barwick and Trevor where we exchanged ideas to evaluate the entire situation about the England squad and set the goals in case of real invitation being addressed to me," he added.

"After deep and serious thinking, I decided to exclude myself from being England manager despite it being a fantastic position for me.

"I'm sure FA will hire a great manager, one able to place the team back where it belongs.

"I reiterate my respect for English football and, after three good years in England, I firmly believe that the England squad will soon be back to their usual great results."

Britain's News of the World tabloid reported that Mourinho, while initially keen on the England job, had received an offer on Friday of a contract to coach a "big club" next season.

Many within English football believed the 44-year-old was only using his apparent interest in the England position as a way of advertising his availability for a club role.

McClaren's brief reign as England manager ended with last month's 3-2 defeat against Croatia at Wembley - a result that meant the national side failed to qualify for the Euro 2008 event in Austria and Switzerland.

Martin O'Neill, the former Northern Ireland international, who is presently the manager of Premier League Aston Villa, has ruled himself out of the running for the England job having been touted to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson before McClaren was appointed.

But Italian Fabio Capello, one of European football's most successful club coaches, had made no secret of his interest in becoming England manager.

His compatriot Marcello Lippi, who guided Italy to the 2006 World Cup title, is another possible contender.

The FA have made it clear that they wish to appoint a "world-class" coach. That, and the organisation's history of never re-appointing a previous England boss, such as Terry Venables or Glenn Hoddle, for a second spell in charge, explains the lack of homegrown candidates.

The FA are due to hold a board meeting on December 19 but England do not have a match until a February 6 friendly against Switzerland with their next competitive fixture several months away when their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway in September.

Mourinho quit Chelsea in September following a series of rows with the London club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

During his three years at Stamford Bridge the 'Special One', as Mourinho described himself having guided FC Porto to Champions League glory in 2004, steered Chelsea to two Premier League titles in his first two years in charge, last season's FA Cup and the League Cup in 2005 and 2007.