Rangnick confirms two-hour England job talks

Sarah Winterburn

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick has confirmed that he was interviewed for the England job after Euro 2016 but the FA decided to appoint an English manager.

That English manager has since left the job after just one match after being secretly filmed briefing undercover reporters on how to break FA rules on third-party ownership.

Rangnick is second-favourite in the betting behind caretaker manager Gareth Southgate for the England job but insists he has had no contact with England this week.

“The fact is, a few days after the Euro 2016 final, I got a call,” Rangnick told Sky Deutschland on Friday night.

“It was from Dan Ashworth, the association’s technical director who I had known for a few years. He invited me for talks about me becoming the new England manager.

“We had a good, two-hour talk. A day later, Dan informed me that they had decided they wanted to appoint an English manager, also out of respect for English managers.

“Since then, there has not been any more contact.”