MAN CITY to sack Ericksson

[mighty_tiger_79]

from the BBC site

Sven-Goran Eriksson has been told he will be sacked as Manchester City manager at the end of the season, BBC Sport understands.

City owner Thaksin Shinawatra told Eriksson he was "not the right man for the job" at a meeting on Sunday, a source close to the manager said.

Eriksson informed the players at training on Monday that he would be dismissed, provoking an angry response.

The Swede, who has two years left on his contract, says he will not resign.

Shinawatra has been unhappy with City's results since the turn of the year.


The Thai billionaire was at the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday to watch his team throw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 against Fulham.

Afterwards, he held a meeting with Eriksson and told him he would be dismissed after their final two games of the season.

"Sven reacted calmly, as usual, but he was very surprised and disappointed," the source told BBC Sport.

"He doesn't want to leave the club and will not resign. He loves working with the players and his work at Manchester City has only just begun."

City confirmed that Eriksson would be in charge for the final two games of the season, away at Liverpool and Middlesbrough, but made no comment about what would happen in the summer.

Eriksson's assistant, Tord Grip, told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he expected them to leave City at the end of the season.

606: DEBATE
It's absolutely crazy - I'm shocked

rommy123

"We will be here for the two last matches. They probably think that we haven't done a good enough job", said Grip.

"Sven will receive new offers soon I'm sure."

Eriksson took over as City manager five weeks before the start of the season and the team occupied third spot in the Premiership in November.

However, their form has faltered badly since Christmas and they now lie ninth, having won just four of their last 15 games.

"The team has not been playing as well as it should have or getting the right results since Christmas," said the source.

"But overall it has been a good season. Thaksin agreed a five-year plan with Sven in the summer and the target for the first year was to finish in the top 10."

I think it is crazy that his job is even being talked about as being in danger - he has been good for everyone at City

Last week's Micah Richards column

Shinawatra bankrolled eight summer signings at a cost of more than £46m shortly after buying the club, but BBC Sport understands he has had no direct contact with Eriksson in the second half of the season.

"They met several times personally at the start of the season and then nothing," said the source.

"Sven has had a list of players he wants to sign next summer for several weeks, but he hasn't been able to get the go-ahead to get them.

"He talks to (City chief executive) Alistair Macintosh, but things break down when he then goes to the chairman."

The City players are understood to have reacted with a mixture of shock and anger when Eriksson told them he would be leaving.

Last week, City defender Micah Richards said in his BBC Sport website column that the players were "100% behind" Eriksson.

"I think it is crazy that his job is even being talked about as being in danger - he has been good for everyone at City," said Richards.

Shinawatra will now set about the task of landing a new manager, with Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari already touted as a replacement for Eriksson.

It seems certain that any new manager will have a considerable amount of money to spend in the summer.

Shinawatra has hundreds of millions of pounds worth of assets in Thailand frozen as he awaits trial on corruption charges later this year.

Yet his former lawyer, Noppadom Pattama, who is now Thailand's foreign minister, told BBC Sport that he expected these assets to be "unfrozen in the near future".

[Dirko]

Right...no way will Sven resign, not with two years left on his contract. Get fired, get a payout, and get a new job...

Perhaps they need to look at the playing list before the manager. They appointed Sven pretty late, so he didn't have much
time to shape the list before season start and IMO, I think Man City have done OK. Why not give him coin and see what he does
next season first ?

Interesting to say the least...

[mighty_tiger_79]

i too am at this as man City have had a reasonable season apart from last weekend where they gave up a 2 goal lead and let 2 goals in, in the matter of minutes.

[smithy]

Mourinho has been linked to the job already.

This is a poor decision by Man City.

Oasis' Noel Gallagher is leading a protest against the decision.

[johntheclaret]

Shinawatra is a d1ck. Erikson was brought in with little time to prepare and a brief to get City in the top 10. He's done that and no way will he resign. To sack him will cost City $10.5m. Simple as that, but with at least $150m revenue from TV alone next year, I doubt that Shinawatra will baulk at the severence pay.

Others linked with the job are Frank Rikjarrd (sp) who is a certainty to lose his job at Barca after this seasons disaster ( ), and Scolari, the guy that haunted Erikson when he was England manager.

This seems to be the trend in the EPL of late. Managers like Wenger and Fergusson have a job for life, along with maybe Moyes, O'Neill and Redknapp and Hughes, but as for the rest, 1 or 2 seasons is the best you can hope for. Teams like Chelski, Liverpool, City, Newcastle, the supposed other big boys of the league will demand instant success and with so much dosh coming in, not honouring a contract and shelling out £4 or £5 million will not phase them.

[johntheclaret]

Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari has insisted he has not agreed to take charge of Manchester City this summer.
Sven Goran Eriksson's future is shrouded in doubt after reports emerged that he has been told by owner Thaksin Shinawatra that he will be sacked in the summer.
Scolari has already emerged as favourite to succeed him at Eastlands - but the Brazilian, who was at one time close to taking over from him with England, has denied knowing anything about Manchester City.

No talks
"It's the first time I have heard something about this topic," Scolari told the Portuguese press. My agent was in Lisbon to have a few days with me and we were talking about many things but none of them related to England."
Scolari confirmed that he will not be contemplating his future until after the Euro 2008 finals this summer.
"I will not decide anything about my future until we finish the European Championship," he added. It will be after speaking with the president of the Portuguese Federation, Gilberto Madail, and he will have the last word. Now there is nothing."

[johntheclaret]

Sven Goran Eriksson is expected to lead Manchester City on an end-of-season tour to Asia.

The Swede's long-term future as City boss is in severe doubt, with reports suggesting he will be sacked after the final two games of the campaign.
However, City owner Thaksin Shinawatra's son Panthongtae claims Eriksson will still be manager when City play games in Thailand and Hong Kong. Panthongtae is a director of the club and is not expecting Eriksson to be dismissed immediately after the last Premier League fixture of the season against Middlesbrough on 11th May.
Speaking to reporters in Thailand, Panthongtae said of Eriksson: "He will lead the squad to Thailand."
City are due to arrive in Thailand on 14th May and will play against a Thailand Premier All-Stars team three days later before playing two matches in Hong Kong later in the month.
Eriksson has only been in the City job for one season, but appears to have failed to impress owner Thaksin, who bought the club last year.
The League Managers' Association have already expressed their concern about the likely of departure of Eriksson, who has secured City a top-10 finish in the Premier League.

[johntheclaret]

From the MEN

Manchester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson has refused to comment on his position at the club despite speculation he is set to be replaced at the end of the season.
Widespread reports on Tuesday suggested Eriksson would lose his job at Eastlands in the summer.
Eriksson's agent Athole Still and his right-hand man Tord Grip confirmed the Swede was likely to leave the club at the end of the season after being informed by City owner Thaksin Shinawatra that he did not figure in his long-term plans.
The former England coach met with the Shinawatra at the weekend but he did not say what the nature of their discussions were. However, he did reveal he would not be meeting with Thaksin again before the end of the season.
"I had a meeting with Dr Thaksin and his people on Sunday morning and at this moment with two games to go in the season I don't want to make any comment about that," Eriksson told the Manchester Evening News. "There are no more meetings planned until the season is over. I appreciate the backing of the fans, which I have felt since the day I arrived. I thank them very much. But now we are just focusing on trying to beat Liverpool on Sunday."

[johntheclaret]

Eriksson gone,
Eriksson takes over as coach of Mexico
Mark Hughes dups b4st4rd rovers and takes over at City

Good ole Hughesy. Turned down the chance to star for a season at Chelski, to star for a season at City. Either job is a poisoned challis imo, but it seems anything is better than another season for the b4st4rds

[Bully]

there was talk for the last few weeks of the premier league that he would be gone, so its no surprize he is gone!

[RoosterMarty]

Shinawatra is a d1ck. Erikson was brought in with little time to prepare and a brief to get City in the top 10. He's done that and no way will he resign. To sack him will cost City $10.5m. Simple as that, but with at least $150m revenue from TV alone next year, I doubt that Shinawatra will baulk at the severence pay.

Others linked with the job are Frank Rikjarrd (sp) who is a certainty to lose his job at Barca after this seasons disaster ( ), and Scolari, the guy that haunted Erikson when he was England manager.

This seems to be the trend in the EPL of late. Managers like Wenger and Fergusson have a job for life, along with maybe Moyes, O'Neill and Redknapp and Hughes, but as for the rest, 1 or 2 seasons is the best you can hope for. Teams like Chelski, Liverpool, City, Newcastle, the supposed other big boys of the league will demand instant success and with so much dosh coming in, not honouring a contract and shelling out £4 or £5 million will not phase them.

It's amazing what a bit of stability does for a club. Sparky will be sacked at the end of the season unless he gets City into the Champs League, Ancelotti and Guus have already ruled themselves out of the Chelsea job and can you blame them? Mourinho was sacked after 2 EPLs and an FA Cup, Grant sacked despite dragging Chelsea back into the title race as well as taking them to their first ever Euro Cup Final, Sven gives City a bright future and a double over United for the first time in 30-odd years.

A few years ago Everton were struggling down the bottom, Cahill ended up saving them I believe but Everton stuck by Moyes and it's reaping dividends. They finished 5th last season, are consistently in Europe now and have a bright future, they also play football that's not bad to watch at times.

Too many rich blokes buy clubs as a hobby and expect instant success, when they don't get it they sack the manager.. eventually nobody will want the job.