Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri has revealed he would like to follow in the footsteps of Sven-Goran Eriksson as a future overseas coach of the England team.
The Italian has a wide experience of management across Europe, having previously been in charge at Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid and Valencia before arriving at Stamford Bridge in September 2000.
He signed a new five-year contract at Chelsea only last season and his overriding priority remains bringing success to the Blues, especially with an FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal this weekend.
However, according to impossible-to-interpret-incorrectly quotes in Chelsea Village magazine, Ranieri has now admitted for the first time that he wants to manage England. Sort of.
Asked by Chelsea Village magazine if he would ever like to manage Italy, he replied: "I'd like one day to be the manager of an international team."
When then asked if this could be England, he replied: "Why not?"
Ranieri diplomatically stressed there are a "lot of good managers in England", but then repeated: "My first choice is a good international team." Which some might suggest rather rules out England.
"I have lost my feeling of being Italian," he said. "I am a European. I am a fan of teams who play well."
The Chelsea boss, who has yet to win a trophy at Stamford Bridge, admits his English must improve and he has an eccentric side to his personality together with a tendency towards tactical 'tinkering'.
However, he has experience of coping with stressful jobs across Europe and laid the foundations of the success of the current Valencia side as well as transforming Chelsea back into challengers for a Champions League place. Speculation has constantly surrounded Eriksson's future, although he has stressed that he has no intention of quitting his post, to which he is contracted until 2006, with a further option thereafter. Whether Ranieri would then still be considered above the likes of potential English contenders, such as Steve McClaren and Alan Curbishley, or any other overseas candidates, remains to be seen.
