Football: Speed rules himself out of Wales job

Gary Speed has declared himself out of contention to replace Mark Hughes as Wales coach but Chester manager Ian Rush has refused to follow suit.

Bolton midfielder Speed retired from international football this week after winning his 85th cap in the defeat by Poland, and had been touted as a potential successor to Hughes, now in charge at Blackburn.

But Speed was warned by Bolton boss Sam Allardyce the Wales job was not one he could reasonably combine with his playing duties at the Reebok Stadium.

Speed told BBC Sport: "If you've got aspirations to be a manager or coach, obviously coaching your country would be a great honour.

"But you only get one shot at it really and for me this time I don't think I could give it my full attention.

"We want the best man for the job and I don't think that's me at the moment. I definitely won't be applying for it."

It had been mooted that Speed could team up with Brian Flynn to lead Wales through the remainder of their World Cup campaign.

But his emphatic words now suggest that even sharing the job might be out of the question.

Speed finished his international career with a record number of caps for his country, and Robbie Savage was among those backing the Speed-Flynn combination to lead Wales into a new era.

However, Speed only joined Bolton this summer from Newcastle, signing a two-year contract, and he is keen to play on in the Barclays Premiership.

Sportinglife