Hull boss Bruce holds talks over England job

London: Hull manager Steve Bruce has confirmed he is in the race to be appointed England coach after being interviewed by the Football Association on Tuesday.

Bruce`s meeting with FA chiefs had earlier been described as "informal discussions", but the 55-year-old revealed he had been in an official interview.

Hull say no firm approach for Bruce`s services has been made by the FA, but the former Manchester United defender is now in contention for the post, with Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce the other leading contender following his recent interview.

Bruce, who never represented England at senior level during a fine playing career, guided Hull to an immediate return to the Premier League with a play-off final win over Sheffield Wednesday in May.

He hopes to have done enough to convince the FA he is the man to succeed Roy Hodgson, who stepped down immediately after England`s embarrassing Euro 2016 last-16 defeat against Iceland.

"I never quite made it as a player, who wouldn`t (want it)?" he said on Sky Sports News ahead of Hull`s friendly at Mansfield on Tuesday.

"If you`re English and it means something to you, who wouldn`t?

"It has to be the prime job that any Englishman would want to have. Yes it`s difficult, we know that, but there`s something in you."

Bruce`s managerial career began with brief assignments at Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Wigan and Crystal Palace, but he put a reputation for itchy feet behind him during a largely successful six-year stay at Birmingham.

He went on to manage Wigan again and Sunderland before joining Hull, where he has overseen two promotions to the Premier League, one relegation and a first ever FA Cup final appearance in 2014.

"I am highly flattered to be even considered and extremely grateful to be considered. If anything happens, let`s see what the rest of the week brings and if it does then happy days," Bruce added.

"In an interview you never know, I hope it went okay, I got my point across and let`s hope it was successful."

Also on the FA`s short-list for the job are Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe and the experienced USA coach and former Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann.

The three-man FA panel conducting the search is made up of former Manchester United chief executive David Gill, FA technical director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Martin Glenn.

England have failed to make it past the first knockout stage of a major tournament since Sven-Goran Eriksson guided them to the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals, where they lost on penalties to Portugal.