FA chiefs call Eriksson summit

2004-07-27 11:06

London - Embarrassed Football Association officials have called on England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to defend himself against mounting calls for his resignation over his affair with an FA secretary.

The FA was forced to retract a statement issued last week denying Eriksson's affair after reports in a Sunday newspaper.

It has also been revealed that chief executive Mark Palios had a fling with the same woman.

Board member David Henson believes the whole affair has been an embarrassment to the FA and wants an investigation.

"It makes us look like idiots because there was a denial and then we were told that it did happen," he told The Guardian.

"We are left looking like mugs and that can't be right. We have been left high and dry.

"There's so many questions to answer and we will be expecting those to be answered this week."

The FA board was not due to meet until August 26 but Henson's comments confirm media reports an emergency meeting could be called this week.

It is not the first time that Eriksson's activities have received tabloid exposure.

England's Euro 2004 campaign

Two years ago he was revealed to have had an affair with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson. He has also twice been photographed meeting with Chelsea owner and chief executive Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon leading to speculation he was being courted by the London club.

Eriksson is currently on holiday in Sweden and when he returns he will also face a critical report into his handling of England's Euro 2004 campaign by the FA Director of Football Trevor Brooking.

Brooking said it was significant that when Wayne Rooney went off because of a foot injury midway through the first half of England's penalty shoot-out defeat by Portugal in the quarter-finals, England had no Plan B to counter the loss of their leading goalscorer.

"Rooney had become a key factor and we must look at our flexibility to adapt. We have to look at areas where we can learn from that. Against Portugal we scored an early goal, but did we sit back too much? Did we get stretched at times? We didn't pass the ball well enough or keep possession and when you're ahead that's an important element - to keep the ball better than we did."

Brooking felt England were short of players who could have made the difference in Portugal and who will be necessary for success in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"We need to try to get three or four more who could add that little bit extra, which will make the difference. Everyone still feels 2006 is a great opportunity for the current nucleus of England players to really have a chance of winning the competition."

- AFP