Hughes deal as England options cut

LONDON, England -- Blackburn manager Mark Hughes signed a new contract on Friday that keeps him at the Premier League club until June 2010 -- and rules him out of contention for the job of England coach.

There was more worrying news for English FA hierachy when Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill, the bookmakers favorite, then made it clear he was not interested in taking charge of the national team.

"I know where the speculation has arisen from because I was involved in the interview process the last time," O'Neill told the Villa Web site.

"I was not a club manager at the time, and if that opportunity had arisen and I had been given that chance, that would have been a different matter.

"But I am here now and I'm committed to Aston Villa Football Club. I want to do this job. I've started it and I want to drive it forward.

"We're nowhere near completed at all. In fact, we're just starting and I want to complete this job."

Earlier in the day Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Charlton's Alan Curbishley -- he was also in the running when sacked Steve McClaren was appointed -- likewise made it clear they would be staying at their clubs.

McClaren was fired hours after England's 3-2 home defeat by Croatia at Wembley, but highly-rated former Wales supremo Hughes said: "It's not a job that interests me at this moment in time."

Former Manchester United striker Hughes, however, conceded: "At some point in my career I'd like to try international management again, possibly when I'm older and greyer than I am now!"

Hughes joined Blackburn in 2004 after five years managing Wales, guiding the Principality to the qualifying playoffs for that year's European Championship finals only to lose to Russia.

Blackburn's impressive start to the season has seen them lose just two games and rise to seventh place in England where he was named the Premier League's manager of the month for October.

"The club has made significant progress during Mark's tenure and we are delighted that he has signed this contract," chairman John Williams told the club's official Web site.

"It is very good news. Mark has done -- and continue to do -- a great job and we are very confident in his ability to drive the club forward."

McClaren's predecessor as England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson insists he feels no sense of satisfaction at the humiliating exit from Euro 2008

"I honestly feel sorry about Steve and the players," he said. "I left a message with Steve but I don't think he wants to answer the phone too much, which is understandable."

There has been some suggestion Eriksson could yet be invited back by the FA, talk which brought a scoffing response from the Swede, who neither expects a call, nor is prepared to offer any public opinion about who should eventually be appointed in McClaren's place.

"There is no need to rule myself out," he said. "The FA have not asked me - and they will not. I am happy where I am.

"I have absolutely nothing to say about the successor. There is a lot of speculation and a lot of opinions. But I have no idea who the next manager will be and I have no opinion about it."

Eriksson reckons the real people who will miss out are the fans across Europe who would have liked to see England at the finals.

"If you talk about Germany, Italy, Spain, France and England, they should be there," observed Eriksson. "I am sorry for the fans but I think UEFA feels sorry too. They always want England in the big tournaments." E-mail to a friend