Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has revealed he turned down the Manchester United job 12 years ago. Hitzfeld rejected the opportunity to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in 2002 because the challenge at Old Trafford, he believed, would have been too daunting without a command of English.
"I don't want to go into too many details because it was between myself and Manchester United," Hitzfeld told the Telegraph. "But I decided to stay in Germany because, when I am coaching I prefer to express myself in German because this is my mother tongue.
"I did not think I would be able to do myself justice if I had to speak to the players in English. I would not be able to get my emotions and feelings across. The players in the Swiss dressing room speak a variety of languages, including Italian, French and English, but when they come to work, I coach them in German."
