Ferguson claims he passed up Man U job

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he twice rejected the opportunity to coach the England national team.

“I was offered the chance to manage the England team on a couple of occasions but, of course, it was just out of the question,” said the Scot, whose side beat Celtic 3-1 in a pre-season friendly in Toronto on Friday.

“It’s a poisoned chalice anyway. I think it’s a terrible job, plus the fact that I would have had a tremendous handicap being Scottish.”

The quality of coaching in the English game has once again fallen under the microscope after England’s disappointing World Cup.

The team bowed out in the last 16 after a 4-1 defeat by old rivals Germany.

Ferguson, though, feels the blame lies with the intensity of the English Premier League.

“The English season is exhausting,” the 68-year-old told Canadian television channel TSN. “Look at December, for instance, when we play eight or nine games even though it’s the worst time of the year for the pitches, when they are heavier and the weather is at its worst.

“In the second half of the season, you then find lots of players are carrying little strains and pulls. But because of the importance of the games they keep on playing and, when they get to the end of the season and there’s an important tournament such as the World Cup, they are not 100 percent.”

AFP