Roberto Mancini was desperate to land the Sunderland job ahead of Ricky Sbragia, it has been revealed.
The People says Mancini tried to talk his way into the Sunderland job after brushing up on his English in a language school in London.
However the former Inter Milan boss soon talked his way out of it when his pay demands became clear.
Mancini remains desperate to manage in the Premier League and he applied unsuccessfully for the post at Newcastle when Graeme Souness was sacked at St James' Park in February 2006.