Dmac
04-24-2006, 04:01 PM
Scolari denies England interview
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says he has not been interviewed by the Football Association about becoming England's next manager.
Several newspaper reports in England suggested the Brazilian was set to get the job after having an impressive second interview.
"No, I don't (sic) have an interview," Scolari told BBC Radio Five Live.
"I am coach of Portugal and I am only thinking and speaking about Portugal until the last day of the World Cup."
Scolari, who spoke to Five Live's Sportsweek programme in February, added: "I said to the BBC... that I am happy that they (the FA) are thinking about me.
"But I have a contract with Portugal and I don't want to talk anything more about any contract until the last day of my job with Portugal."
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce said he would be very surprised if Scolari got the England job.
"Is Scolari the new kid on the block at the moment?" Pearce said.
"He certainly has an impressive record and has managed in lots of different countries. But people I speak to in the street all want an English manager.
"The groundswell of opinion from the general public is that a British-based manager will get the job."
Pearce, who is believed to be out of the running to replace Eriksson, believes too much notice is being taken of recent results.
"If I was looking to appoint someone to do the national job their immediate run of results wouldn't overly matter," he said.
"You cannot say whether someone is a good or bad manager over a period of three or four months.
"But that seems to be the nature of the business we are in at the minute.
"Steve McClaren started as 20-1 outsider but because of the run of results he is now the favourite."
It has been suggested that Pearce could play some sort of coaching role in a new England set-up, but he says he is only focusing on Manchester City.
"If a coaching post was ever offered to me I would have to speak about it," he said.
"But as I stand at the moment, managing a Premiership team is a full-time job."
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says he has not been interviewed by the Football Association about becoming England's next manager.
Several newspaper reports in England suggested the Brazilian was set to get the job after having an impressive second interview.
"No, I don't (sic) have an interview," Scolari told BBC Radio Five Live.
"I am coach of Portugal and I am only thinking and speaking about Portugal until the last day of the World Cup."
Scolari, who spoke to Five Live's Sportsweek programme in February, added: "I said to the BBC... that I am happy that they (the FA) are thinking about me.
"But I have a contract with Portugal and I don't want to talk anything more about any contract until the last day of my job with Portugal."
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce said he would be very surprised if Scolari got the England job.
"Is Scolari the new kid on the block at the moment?" Pearce said.
"He certainly has an impressive record and has managed in lots of different countries. But people I speak to in the street all want an English manager.
"The groundswell of opinion from the general public is that a British-based manager will get the job."
Pearce, who is believed to be out of the running to replace Eriksson, believes too much notice is being taken of recent results.
"If I was looking to appoint someone to do the national job their immediate run of results wouldn't overly matter," he said.
"You cannot say whether someone is a good or bad manager over a period of three or four months.
"But that seems to be the nature of the business we are in at the minute.
"Steve McClaren started as 20-1 outsider but because of the run of results he is now the favourite."
It has been suggested that Pearce could play some sort of coaching role in a new England set-up, but he says he is only focusing on Manchester City.
"If a coaching post was ever offered to me I would have to speak about it," he said.
"But as I stand at the moment, managing a Premiership team is a full-time job."