dylanJ
Mar 14th, 2006, 05:50 AM
Alan Curbishley insists the media circus that has accompanied his talks with The Football Association has in no way curbed his enthusiasm for the England job.
The Charlton chief has made the headlines this weekend after several newspapers reported his private meeting with FA chief executive Brian Barwick along with Simon Johnson.
Curbishley has expressed his surprise that the meeting has caused such a furore, given that he insists the tete-a-tete was an informal discussion and was in no way a formal encounter.
While the media attention has hardly been welcomed, considering his continued commitments at The Valley, Curbishley remains adamant that he has done nothing wrong - with the top job in England very much still on his agenda.
''It was made out as if I was involved in a cloak and dagger operation, when instead I was getting what I believed was some reward for being a successful manager,'' he told the Daily Express.
''But I tell you this, it has not put me off one bit. I want the England job.
''The FA made an approach to Charlton and had been given permission by chairman Richard Murray to talk to me.
''I did not think I had been recognised but funnily enough when I shook hands with Brian, I joked: 'You know there's probably been a tail on you.'
''He laughed. Little did we know. Of course I felt good about things. There have not been many Charlton managers asked to meet the national association to talk about the biggest job in football.''
Curbishley continued to give an outline of what was discussed at the meeting, although is keen to reiterate that talks are very much at a preliminary stage and that for the moment at least, his focus of attention remains on Charlton.
''I was immensely flattered that I was seen as someone who might be able to do something for football in this country,'' he continued.
''We talked about players, systems, the way the job should be approached, without going into the fine detail that might be expected if it had been a full scale interview.
''All the managers The FA are interested in have club jobs to do. Doing things privately removes some of the pressure.
''But nothing was defined. I have not got my feet under Sven's desk or eyed up his England tracksuit.''
SOURCE: SKY SPORTS
The Charlton chief has made the headlines this weekend after several newspapers reported his private meeting with FA chief executive Brian Barwick along with Simon Johnson.
Curbishley has expressed his surprise that the meeting has caused such a furore, given that he insists the tete-a-tete was an informal discussion and was in no way a formal encounter.
While the media attention has hardly been welcomed, considering his continued commitments at The Valley, Curbishley remains adamant that he has done nothing wrong - with the top job in England very much still on his agenda.
''It was made out as if I was involved in a cloak and dagger operation, when instead I was getting what I believed was some reward for being a successful manager,'' he told the Daily Express.
''But I tell you this, it has not put me off one bit. I want the England job.
''The FA made an approach to Charlton and had been given permission by chairman Richard Murray to talk to me.
''I did not think I had been recognised but funnily enough when I shook hands with Brian, I joked: 'You know there's probably been a tail on you.'
''He laughed. Little did we know. Of course I felt good about things. There have not been many Charlton managers asked to meet the national association to talk about the biggest job in football.''
Curbishley continued to give an outline of what was discussed at the meeting, although is keen to reiterate that talks are very much at a preliminary stage and that for the moment at least, his focus of attention remains on Charlton.
''I was immensely flattered that I was seen as someone who might be able to do something for football in this country,'' he continued.
''We talked about players, systems, the way the job should be approached, without going into the fine detail that might be expected if it had been a full scale interview.
''All the managers The FA are interested in have club jobs to do. Doing things privately removes some of the pressure.
''But nothing was defined. I have not got my feet under Sven's desk or eyed up his England tracksuit.''
SOURCE: SKY SPORTS