Sven’s FA sheikh-down after sting op in Dubai
The Swede insisted in the News of the World that he would not want to get involved with transfers, if he took a club job in England, because managers “put money in their pocket.”
Eriksson was asked if English managers got involved with transfers during taped meetings in Dubai with an undercover News of the World reporter - posing as a ‘fake Sheikh.’
The England boss suggested, during the meeting, that he would be prepared to become manager of Aston Villa as part of a takeover bid.
He was quoted, however, as saying: “If I come there (Aston Villa) I don’t want to have anything to do with money, money to transfer.”
Asked by the undercover reporter, “Do managers always get involved with transfers?’ he reportedly said: ‘Yeah and of course they put money in their pocket’.”
Eriksson, his agent Athole Still and lawyer Richard Des Voeux met the reporter at an exclusive hotel in Dubai after the England boss was asked if he was interested in coaching at an academy in oil rich Emirate some time in the future.
The FA issued a statement on their website www.TheFA.com which read: “Further to today’s allegations in the News of the World concerning Sven-Goran Eriksson, The Football Association has this morning requested from the newspaper details of all conversations that are alleged to have taken place with an undercover reporter in Dubai.
“Additionally, FA chief executive Brian Barwick has spoken to Sven-Goran Eriksson regarding the allegations and will discuss them further with him tomorrow.
“Sven will then attend a meeting with the FA’s Compliance Unit to discuss some of the issues raised in today’s article.
“The Compliance Unit will also interview Athole Still, Sven’s agent who accompanied him to Dubai and is quoted extensively in the News of the World.
“This follows a meeting earlier today which Athole Still attended at Brian Barwick’s request with Barwick and FA executives at Soho Square.”
