Roy Hodgson is now a firm candidate for the England manager's position after resigning as head coach of Finland.

Finland narrowly missed out on qualification for Euro 2008, finishing joint third behind Poland and Portugal, and the former Blackburn and Inter Milan manager, just like Jose Mourinho, is refusing to rule himself out of the England job.

He said: "I don't want to be seen as saying Roy Hodgson wants the job, or Roy Hodgson doesn't want it. I'll only give my opinion if I receive an offer or an invitation to speak to someone.

"The FA might be laughing at some of the people suggesting that they want the job.

"It's ridiculous people saying I'm available, or I'm not available, when we've no idea what the FA is thinking.

"But I'm proud of what I've done. I've had 32 qualifying games with Switzerland and Finland and lost four of them."

Hodgson has a wealth of experience at international level, having led the Swiss to the World Cup finals in 1994.

He said: "I'm not working in the public eye and concentration I suppose is bound to be around the candidates the FA see and hear every day.

"I work abroad and my name isn't always brought to people's attention. But I've been very satisfied with the job I've been doing over the years and my record is as good as anyone else.

"I feel neither the need to push myself forward or to behave like a shrinking violet. If people want to speak to me I'm sure they'll find me.

"I can only echo Sven-Goran Eriksson's sentiments. When people from either top federations or big clubs want to speak to you it's very foolish not to do so.

"I don't have an agent or anyone touting my name around England. I've been very lucky in my career over the last 32 years in that jobs have found me rather than I have found them and I don't see any reason to change that."