SA wants Eriksson to coach

2006-03-21 19:53

London - The chairperson of South Africa's 2010 Soccer World Cup organising event, Danny Jordaan, says South Africa would like Sven-Goran Eriksson to be its soccer coach at the 2010 World Cup.

The Swede is leaving the England job after this year's championship in Germany.

Jordaan said Eriksson was the ideal man to lift the nation's struggling team.

"Sven has overseen the emergence of young players and that sort of attitude would be important when building a new team for South Africa," Jordaan told the BBC.

"There's more depth and balance to the England team - whatever's said about Eriksson. Young players now have a permanent place in the squad and that sort of attitude would be important when building a new team for South Africa."

South Africa failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup and lost all its games at the African Nations Cup in Egypt in January. Stuart Baxter quit as coach in November and interim coach Ted Dimitru was fired after the African tournament.

Eriksson has not announced what he will do after he leaves the England job. If he takes the South Africa job, Jordaan would want him to start as soon as possible. South Africa qualifies automatically as host for the 2010 tournament.

"He must also start in 2006 to give him time to oversee the technical development of our football over the next four years," Jordaan said.

Although Eriksson earns more than 4 million pounds (nearly R44m)a year as England coach, Jordaan said the South African soccer federation should not be frightened off by such a salary.

"The question is can we afford not to afford the best possible coach? It would be a footballing disaster if South Africa fail in 2010," he said. "We can build the finest stadiums but people come to watch the football, not to admire the architecture. I don't think the size of a salary is a consideration."

- SAPA