Yankees interview Thomson for manager

NEW YORK » Longtime Yankees coach Rob Thomson emphasized his ability to speak with players as he became the first person to audition for the New York manager job that opened when Joe Girardi was jettisoned last month.

A 54-year-old Canadian who has been with the Yankees for 28 seasons, Thomson spent a decade as a coach under Girardi. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman cited “connectivity” with players as the reason to part with Girardi.

“I really don’t want to compare myself to Joe. I love Joe,” Thomson said during a media session Thursday, a day after his five-to-six-hour interview. “But I do know this. My strengths are my communication and my trust with the players, and because of that trust we can implement more things into our game, whether it be analytics or sports science, whatever it is . ... I’m intense, but I’m still calm and I’m still poised.

After playing in Detroit’s minor league system from 1985-88, Thomson was hired by the Yankees in 1990 as third-base coach at Class A Fort Lauderdale. He spent five seasons coaching, then managed Class A Oneonta in the New York-Penn League in 1995, his only time as a skipper.

He was third base coach at Triple-A Columbus from 1996-97, became a field coordinator in 1998, director of player development in 2000 and vice president of minor league development before the 2003 season. He served as a special assignment instructor from 2004-06 and major league field coordinator in 2007.