London: Steve Bruce, the Hull City manager, has spoken to the Football Association as it continues its search for the next England manager. Even though Sam Allardyce has emerged as the favourite for the post after being interviewed last week, the FA is continuing to talk to candidates.
FA councillors hope the three men taking charge of the interviews, technical director Dan Ashworth, chief executive Martin Glenn and vice-chairman David Gill, will be able to put forward their preferred candidate at a scheduled board meeting on Thursday.
It is anticipated that the trio will have spoken to all of the realistic candidates, including Eddie Howe, who is in America with Bournemouth, and Jurgen Kilnsmann, ahead of the board meeting.
The Daily Telegraph revealed last week that Bruce had made the shortlist to replace Roy Hodgson and it is understood that the former Manchester United defender spoke to FA officials at the weekend to discuss his vision for the future of the national side.
Hull are unlikely to be happy with the timing of the FA’s interest. Bruce is the most successful manager in the club’s history, having won promotion to the top flight twice in four years, as well as guided them to their first FA Cup final appearance, in 2014.
The Hull board, however, understands why Bruce is interested in the England role and appreciates it would be wrong to prevent him speaking to the game’s governing body.
The Telegraph was not able to contact Bruce, but sources close to the process have confirmed talks have taken place, with more interviews planned this week.
Allardyce was the first to be interviewed and remains the favourite, but the FA informed the board of his club, Sunderland, last week that it was determined to go through a “proper process of elimination” and “due diligence” on all the names on its shortlist.
Allardyce is working at Sunderland’s training ground and is adamant he has not been given any guarantees that he will become the manager of the national team. He was also informed that the FA intended to speak to other candidates, although sources close to the 61-year-old have revealed the former Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United manager is confident about his chances of eventually replacing Hodgson.
The Telegraph understands that the FA interviewed another candidate yesterday, with more talks set to take place this week.
Howe is believed to have reservations about taking the England job at this stage of his career. There is also the possibility of Howe being asked whether he would consider acting as a part-time assistant to Allardyce, while keeping his Bournemouth job, with the intention of eventually taking over.
Klinsmann is interested in the post and the United States is unlikely to stand in his way.
