Hull City boss Steve Bruce says next England manager should be English

Date Posted: 13/07/2016

Steve Bruce

Hull City boss Steve Bruce believes the next England manager should be English — even if it is not him.
Bruce, 55, has been mentioned as a potential candidate to replace Roy Hodgson as the national team boss, with Sunderland’s Sam Allardyce, Eddie Howe of Bournemouth and U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann also heavily linked with the position.
Hodgson stepped down from his role after England suffered a disappointing Euro 2016 campaign, winning just one of their three group games before being stunned by Iceland in the last 16.
Bruce, who never played for his country during his long playing career, has said he has not been contacted by the Football Association but revealed he would jump at the opportunity.
He said: “The England manager should be English. Even if it’s not me, it should be an Englishman.
“Of course, I’d love the call. It would be a highlight to help England. I’ve been at this the thick end of 40 years. Nearly a thousand games as a player, nearly 800 as a manager. That’s a lot of Saturday afternoons.”

Bruce also outlined his vision of how he would want the team to adapt going into the World Cup qualification campaign.
“We’ve got to get that English spirit back. It’s what we’re about, what we’re famous for,” he added. “And then we can’t find an England team who can play like that? It makes no sense.
“All we want to see is an England team playing with the energy we see in the Premier League every Saturday afternoon. Hunger, aggression and without fear. We go to tournaments now and we’re wrapped up in fear.
“It’s not always about being the greatest coach. You’ve got less than a week before most matches. So do the players need actual coaching, or do they need to be set up in a team structure that works, and then pointed in the right direction? Create spirit, take away the fear.”