Brazil boss Scolari 'hurt' by missed opportunity to coach England

Feb 6, 2013 7:55:00 AM

The current Selecao manager was in the running to take over from Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2006 but ruled himself out of the running because of his contract with Portugal

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has revealed his regret at not taking the England manager's job in 2006.

The 64-year-old is in his second spell in charge of the Selecao, the Three Lions' Wembley opponents on Wednesday evening, and was approached by the Football Association six-and-a-half years ago to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson.

After the FA offered a long-term deal to the Brazilian prior to World Cup 2006, Scolari U-turned, citing the intrusive nature of the British press as his reason for pulling out of the running.

Yet he spoke in a Tuesday press conference of the “hurt” he suffered, despite admitting that he did not want to break his contract with Portugal - England's eventual conquerors at the tournament in Germany.

“Of course it hurts,” he said. “It hurts a lot, because I would have loved to have been manager of the England national team. Who wouldn’t?”

“When I was invited to be national coach of England, when we sat together at that time, I still had a contract with Portugal.

“I wasn’t willing to break that contract – it was my duty to fulfil it. Imagine in 2006 if we had played together and I already had a contract with England!

“But England are a wonderful team and I hope I will have the opportunity to talk to Lampard and Ashley Cole at the game, to wish them the best. You never know what might happen one day.”

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