Sven is victim of 'disgraceful entrapment' - agent

Sven Goran Eriksson’s agent dismissed a newspaper sting accusing the England manager of taking his eye off the World Cup to try to secure a lucrative managerial career as “disgraceful entrapment” today.

The Swede was secretly filmed by “fake sheikh” Mazher Mahmood, investigations editor for the News of the World.

Over a dinner of champagne, crab cakes and lobster in Dubai’s seven-star hotel, the paper said he was recorded saying: “After five and a half years…it’s a long time to be England manager.”

When asked if he could be prised away from England to theoretically run Aston Villa, the 57-year-old simply laughed.

The reporter said: “But you’re not allowed to do two jobs, are you?”

To which Eriksson reportedly replied: “No, but everything is possible. But only at the end of the season.”

Possible salaries were discussed and the figure of £5m a year was raised.

Today, Eriksson’s agent Athol Still insisted there were never any negotiations and described many of the claims as “sheer fantasy”.

He told the BBC: “Following the discussions the people we spoke to said they had a substantial sum of money to invest in a Premiership club. I mentioned Aston Villa and Sunderland.

“The rest of the conversation was sheer fantasy. At no point did Sven say he would not honour his contract with England – he has even talked with me about extending it to 2010.

“He did talk about possibly managing Aston Villa because you never know what will happen in football, but it was all hypothetical.

“There were never any negotiations, it was all just fantasising.

“Sven is really angry that they have done this in a World Cup year. I will have to read the article fully before considering whether we will take any further action.”

Eriksson is the latest in a long line of well known faces to be caught by Mahmood.

The reporter caused embarrassment for the Countess of Wessex with her frank opinions of the Royal Family, and caught DJ Johnnie Walker and former Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon in drugs stings.

The FA issued a short statement last night, saying it would reflect on the article but is expected to respond this afternoon.

It is understood that the FA knew Eriksson was travelling to Dubai to meet an Arab businessman, but thought it was related to setting up a football academy in the future.

The News of the World said its investigation started last summer when Mahmood contacted Eriksson about the potential academy.

The paper claimed Eriksson raised the idea of buying a football club with Mahmood – which he would run – and immediately suggested Aston Villa, for £25m.