England mourns as Rodgers rules out taking job

Matt Stead

Brendan Rodgers has dismissed the possibility of being appointed Roy Hodgson’s successor as England manager.

Hodgson was sacked after England suffered an ignominious exit from Euro 2016 at the hands of Iceland on Monday.

Gareth Southgate was quickly installed as the favourite to replace him, although the under-21s boss appears to have since ruled out the chance of even taking the job on an interim basis.

Rodgers was made available at 25/1 to replace Hodgson with most bookmakers, but the new Celtic manager has dismissed any chance of him taking the job.

“I’ve just landed my dream job and I haven’t even walked out for my first game,” he told the Scottish Sun.

“I haven’t put a foot wrong here! Brilliant. I see Jose Mourinho has also been linked with it. He’s unbeaten too. Is it flattering? It’s football. There are very few professions where one minute you are up, then down, then up again — that’s just how it goes.

“If people think I can do jobs at a high level, then that’s fine. But I’m busy here, worrying about what I have to do at Celtic.”

Rodgers added that the England job was a “tough one”, but that the players in the squad are of immense talent.

“It’s a tough job,” he said. “England have a lot of good players, but there is huge pressure and expectation. It has been like that for a few years now.

“There is a great group of players there. They have got some wonderful talents in that England squad.

“But it’s been difficult for them at the Euros, and it’s been like that for a few tournaments.

“So it’s unfortunate how it ended for Roy Hodgson, because he’s a good man and a very good coach.

“The FA now have to appoint someone and look at creating an identity, a way the team can play.”