Sven ‘has no case to answer’

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON was last night “very relieved and pleased” at being given the go-ahead to continue as England coach after being cleared of any wrongdoing by the Football Association board.

However, he should be in little doubt that any problems in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup - most notably in next month’s games away to Austria and Poland - could still lead to his ultimate downfall.

Eriksson was cleared of lying to his employers when initially asked about allegations of a relationship with Faria Alam, who paid the price of her own firm rebuttal to the same question by resigning.

As a result of a detailed report presented to yesterday’s lengthy board meeting in London, the FA powerbrokers admitted there had been “deficiencies surrounding management procedures” but concluded the Swede had “no case to answer.” It has, nevertheless, still become clear that there is a groundswell of opposition among some board members to the Swede’s relative lack of success on a salary of more than £4 million a year.

At least results will now determine his fate, rather than his private life, with a friendly against Ukraine less than two weeks away and those two vital World Cup qualifiers next month, although patience could now be rather thinner in the corridors of power.

An FA statement read: “In the case of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the board decided unanimously on the basis of the report and on legal advice that there is no case for him to answer.”

Eriksson’s agent, Athole Still, told the Press Association: “I called Sven immediately after hearing the news and he was going out for dinner with Tord Grip his England assistant coach.

“He just said ‘good,’ with a nice chuckle. He is obviously very pleased and relieved. He is looking forward to carrying on with his job.”

With Eriksson cleared, it was left to chief executive Mark Palios, who has already quit, and director of communications Colin Gibson, whose resignation was accepted, to shoulder the blame for the scandal, along with Alam.

Chairman Geoff Thompson and executive director David Davies escaped punishment, although both are likely to have been left in no doubt by their colleagues that there had still been failings on their part.

Indeed, as the FA search for a new chief executive, two senior figures - Premier League chairman Dave Richards and Roger Burden, from the amateur side of the game with experience of running the Cheltenham & Gloucester Building Society - were asked to “support” Thompson.

The statement on the FA’s website, www.theFA.com, added: “This entire episode has been regrettable for the reputation of football in this country but the board remain determined to restore the highest standards.

“Deficiencies surrounding management procedures have been exposed and the board is collectively resolved to see these corrected. An immediate review will be instituted with appropriate consultation. In the short-term, to support the many talented individuals at Soho Square, the board has decided to appoint the chairmen of its two main boards - representing the professional game, Dave Richards, and the national game, Roger Burden, to support the FA chairman, Geoff Thompson, in his role of leading the organisation during this period.

“The board will now commence the search for a new chief executive officer.”

And so, following a five-hour meeting, the FA board were hoping to put behind them a controversy which should never have been allowed to erupt in the first place.

The detailed inquiry was launched by the FA after embarrassment at having to correct an initial statement on the controversy, which denied the affair between Eriksson and Alam. Alam was alleged to have insisted to her bosses at Soho Square that there was no relationship between her and the Swede, while Eriksson also reportedly told Davies that it was all “nonsense.”

The England coach, nevertheless, insisted that he never categorically answered any question about an affair, with any such comments presumably having been meant to dismiss the idea of further intrusion into his private life.

After hearing a lengthy submission from solicitor Peter Norbury, of their specialist lawyers Eversheds, the FA board therefore concluded not to take disciplinary action against Eriksson.

Alam still resigned, a move announced by her publicist, Max Clifford, and unless the FA have given her a big pay-off, they may not be out of the woods just yet if she sells her story for up to £500,000.

The FA statement added: “In the case of Faria Alam, an employee without executive status within the FA, the board decided it is not appropriate to make any public statement with regard to her role in this inquiry.”

As for PR chief Gibson, meanwhile, the board accepted his resignation and “thanked him for his services during his time as director of communications.”

Gibson was alleged to have offered to reveal details of Eriksson’s affair with Alam in order to keep Palios’ own relationship with the same woman out of the original story.

Those efforts failed and, in fact, only served to strengthen Eriksson’s position as it appeared his own bosses were trying to undermine him, thereby strengthening any potential case for unfair dismissal.

In fact, the defensive tactics which let Eriksson down at Euro 2004 had for once paid off. His halo may have slipped but it is still intact.