Sunderland boss would love to manage England
Steve Bruce admits he would love to be Fabio Capello's successor as England manager.
And he told Sunderland fans that would be great news for them!
For Bruce says the only way he will get the national job is by being a big success at the Stadium of Light.
Capello has said he will step down as England boss after the European Championships finals in 2012 and the Football Association has expressed a preference for the next head coach to be English.
Bruce said: "Of course I would like to manage England. I rarely blow my own trumpet, I don't promote myself but I'd have a go, why not?
"It must be the time of your life to manage your country, even though you know what's going to go with it. It must be wonderful, absolutely wonderful.
"I would have thought Harry Redknapp must be the main contender but there's not many of us Englishmen managing in the Premier League, so why not?
"To be England manager, it would be 100 per cent worth it," he said. "You need a thick skin of course, but then you need one of those to work up here in the North East.
"If you're going to do something in life you've got to try to get to the top, that's what I've always tried to do. I've striven for whatever I've done, so, if that's the highest I can go, I've got to aim for it."
Bruce managed Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, Birmingham and Wigan before taking over on Wearside and insists he is fully focussed on his job now.
"This is a terrific job, a fantastic job," said the 49-year-old. "But I think if I got offered England or, was in the frame, it would mean I'd done a very, very good job here.
"I think most of our supporters would be happy with that." I think it's all about timing. It's about what you do over the next 18 months. There might be a new kid on the block by then. It's about whether your stock's good at the time."
Redknapp, already 63, claims he'll be past his sell-by date when the FA goes searching for a new man.
He said: "I don't want to start saying I want the England job, because I don't. It's not something that I push myself for. I think I think there's enough lads out there, given the opportunity, to do a great job.
"There's a lot of good English managers out there who never get the opportunity to manage at a higher level, who would be just as good and just as clever given the chance. I really believe that.
"And I will probably be too old. If Capello is too old I will be too old."
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Weather for Sunderland
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
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