Is there a bigger footballing whore than Sven Goran Eriksson?

[Ryan]

That's it Sven. Don't let any moral compass you might have get in the way of making a few more million out of some gullible communist Asians.

Sven-Goran Eriksson in talks to manage North Korea at World Cup
• Final talks in Beijing this week over part-time job
• Eriksson was sacked by Mexico and is not wanted by Sweden

Matt Scott guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 October 2009 22.05 BST



Sven-Goran Eriksson and Peter Trembling are heading to east Asia this week to hold final talks on a deal that could see the former England manager become the coach of the North Korea team at next summer's World Cup.

Trembling, the Notts County executive chairman, is understood to have been involved in talks with intermediaries representing the Football Association of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Those negotiations were with a view to securing the Meadow Lane director of football's services on loan.

The process is now advanced enough for Trembling and Eriksson to be travelling to Beijing later this week on an eight-day trip. The club chairman is also expected to discuss Chinese business investment opportunities in Qadbak, the British Virgin Islands-registered investment vehicle that owns County.

A source close to the deal confirmed that the trip to east Asia is going ahead and did not deny that Eriksson's stewardship of the world's 90th-ranked team was under discussion. North Korea's embassy in London suggested there might be an announcement in "two or three weeks".

Like Russia's well-travelled coach, Guus Hiddink, and the England manager, Fabio Capello, Eriksson is increasingly an international hand for hire. Having spent five years as England manager from 2001, the Swede had 10 turbulent months as Mexico's coach, ending in April this year. If Eriksson says yes, it will see him take the reins in the Koreans' first World Cup finals since reaching the last eight in 1966.

Qualification for the tournament in South Africa next year was confirmed with a 0-0 draw in Saudi Arabia in June and, despite Kim Jong-hun's achievements as coach, he has not escaped criticism. His team emerged alongside South Korea from their group despite scoring only seven goals in eight games.

Although clearly the foundation stone of Kim's success, that defensive solidity has been attacked by influential voices in North Korean football who consider that it would invite pressure from more powerful teams at the finals tournament.

Pak Doo-ik, who scored in the 1-0 defeat of Italy in 1966 that took North Korea to the quarter-finals, believes the 5-4-1 formation favoured by Kim is flawed.

"Despite reaching the World Cup, we are still far from becoming a world-class team," he has said. "We will have our work cut out and there are still huge areas in which to improve, including in defence, creating chances and putting them away."

Although it would be a football fairytale for Eriksson and the players involved, the development would lead to inevitable criticism of Trembling's willingness to interact with a country where human rights abuses are routine. There will also be questions about what fee Notts County's owners, Qadbak, might be receiving from a nation that is beset by famine and which has test-fired intercontinental ballistic missiles and a nuclear bomb.

Eriksson will be aware of the challenge in football terms with the team he is set to lead in South Africa after they had a 10-day training camp in France this month that included a 0-0 draw against the French second division team Nantes. The Koreans' first European football excursion since 1966 ended with another goalless draw against Congo in Le Mans last night.

Eriksson's availability for next summer was confirmed this week when Sweden's football federation made clear that it will not seek to replace the outgoing Lars Lagerback with the former England and Mexico coach. Eriksson has ruled out any notion that he might take charge of the Notts County first team following the sacking of Ian McParland on Monday

 

[themn]

Beckham's got to come close.

Raising the profile of the MLS, my nutsack.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=themn link=topic=36429.msg962136#msg962136 date=1255486421]
Beckham's got to come close.

Raising the profile of the MLS, my nutsack.
[/quote]

He's not gone to Sven levels though has he? He sacrificed earnings from his Galaxy contract to get to play for Milan. The equivalent of which, Sven wouldn't do in a million years.

 

[Mistadobalina]

Sven would dance around in a little dress if you paid him enough money.

 

[aqua.Lai.ni]

Is there a bigger footballing whore than Sven Goran Eriksson?

voted No. he is the biggEST.

 

[keniget]

I had a hard time with the guy whilst he was England manager, but now I just enjoy the legend that is Sven - you don't really see or hear from the guy anymore, he's just like this mythical creature that goes round doubling the national debt of small countries and screwing their women.

 

[Ossi]

He earns lots of money ang screws women...I say good for him!

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=Mistadobalina link=topic=36429.msg962142#msg962142 date=1255490528]
Sven would dance around in a little dress if you paid him enough money.
[/quote]

I'd be surprised if he hasn't already.

 

[The Slugmonster]

[quote author=aqua.Lai.ni link=topic=36429.msg962144#msg962144 date=1255490627]
Is there a bigger footballing whore than Sven Goran Eriksson?

voted No. he is the biggEST.
[/quote]

Anelka boy!!

 

[gkmacca]

Well, plenty of managers have gone from one well-paid gig to the next. Hiddink's a nice guy and a very good manager, but, after appearing to manage just about half the countries in the world, he went head over heels in love for that old sweetie Abramovich in a Debbie McGee sort of way. Sven hasn't actually acted that differently. He's just a very silly sausage in his (non) private life. Which pertains to a different question.

 

[gkmacca]

You see - jobbing managers. Not much difference in real actions, just very different images.

SVEN:

1977–1978 Degerfors
1979–1982 Göteborg
1982–1984 Benfica
1984–1987 Roma
1987–1989 Fiorentina
1989–1992 Benfica
1992–1997 Sampdoria
1997–2001 Lazio
2001–2006 England
2007–2008 Manchester City
2008–2009 Mexico
2009- Technical Director Notts County


HIDDINK:

1982–1984 De Graafschap
1984–1987 PSV Eindhoven (assistant manager)
1987–1990 PSV Eindhoven
1990–1991 Fenerbahçe
1991–1994 Valencia
1994–1998 Netherlands
1998–1999 Real Madrid
1999–2000 Real Betis
2000–2002 South Korea
2002–2006 PSV Eindhoven
2005–2006 Australia
2006– Russia
2009 Chelsea
(2009: reported agreement to return to Chelsea in 2010 as Technical Director)

 

[gkmacca]

Sven's now been offered the Sweden manager's job.

 

[ArtOfficialIntelligence]

[quote author=gkmacca link=topic=36429.msg965494#msg965494 date=1255950531]
Sven's now been offered the Sweden manager's job.
[/quote]

Yep, apparently he has. They say he's willing to drop his salary demands massively.

I really don't know what to think about that. We're not really blessed with top international managers in Sweden, and we certainly don't have the money to attract the likes of Hiddink et al, so I guess it's an obvious choice.

Still don't know if he's still got what it takes. Very doubtful.