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The Football Association turned down the chance to interview Pep Guardiola for the England manager’s job last year, appointing Roy Hodgson instead having made a policy decision to hire an English manager.
The revelation will stun many fans because Guardiola, 42, is viewed as one of the world’s best coaches, having overseen serial successes at Barcelona, including two Champions League wins, three La Liga titles and multiple cups.
But an FA insider insists former chairman David Bernstein was right to ‘go English’, not least because it would send the right message concerning home talent. Sources say Guardiola was interested in talking to the FA when Fabio Capello resigned in February last year and an intermediary contacted the governing body to let them know.
He had decided to leave Barcelona at the end of the 2011-12 season but was not 100 per cent certain he would take a sabbatical.
It is understood a message was sent to Guardiola by the FA that the new man would need to be in place for Euro 2012, but the FA did not follow up further with him. The insider says the FA were contacted by representatives of multiple ‘top managers’ but only English candidates were considered seriously.
The revelation will stun many fans because Guardiola, 42, is viewed as one of the world’s best coaches, having overseen serial successes at Barcelona, including two Champions League wins, three La Liga titles and multiple cups.
But an FA insider insists former chairman David Bernstein was right to ‘go English’, not least because it would send the right message concerning home talent. Sources say Guardiola was interested in talking to the FA when Fabio Capello resigned in February last year and an intermediary contacted the governing body to let them know.
He had decided to leave Barcelona at the end of the 2011-12 season but was not 100 per cent certain he would take a sabbatical.
It is understood a message was sent to Guardiola by the FA that the new man would need to be in place for Euro 2012, but the FA did not follow up further with him. The insider says the FA were contacted by representatives of multiple ‘top managers’ but only English candidates were considered seriously.
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