£4m: But is Sven really worth it?

Not every evening. One or two nights a week he attends matches, assessing players and studying the tactics and strategies of coaches. He also watches two matches most weekends. The travelling involved is considerable and not confined to the UK.

When he took the job in February 2001, FA staff were surprised by his attention to detail and his insistence on working from his office. He's in the office four days a week, which is more than most of his predecessors.

A typical week, apart from four matches, will involve endless meetings and mountains of mail. Last week, for instance, he devoted five hours to four different media commitments, including a 90-minute session with 20 Swedish journalists as part of the build-up to tomorrow's friendly in Gothenburg.

Since the New Year, he's devoted more time to planning for the summer's European Championships in Portugal. These meetings involve FA staff engaged in medicine, training, travel, catering, hotels and media. "He leaves nothing to chance," one of his acolytes informed me.

Other regular commitments include meetings with the FA International Committee and executives involved with sponsorships and commercial arrangements. It is a fact that most of the FA's business partners like Eriksson's involvement.

His name and reputation enhances the FA's value in the sponsorship world. He's seen as a big asset when promotional contracts are being negotiated and, in that sense, is helping to pay for himself.

He has an input into FA policy, talks regularly with his assistant Tord Grip and with the new director of development Trevor Brooking, and attends promotional events at the grass-roots level of the game.

Lunch? Well, when he has time he sends for sandwiches from the FA staff canteen.

What most interests him, of course, are the player reports that arrive at Soho Square from the galaxy of FA scouts each week. His job, after all, is essentially about players and the rapport he has with David Beckham and his team-mates suggests this is his one area of responsibility he really enjoys. Perhaps that's why he's been tempted to return to club football.

His players respond to his quiet authority and unobtrusive style and enjoy working with him. Much of yesterday was spent with his coaches, Grip, Dave Sexton, Brian Kidd, Ray Clemence and Sammy Lee, finalising the training arrangements for the trip to Sweden. He doesn't have the players together for long so he likes to make the most of the time they have together.

England's results in competitive matches - one defeat, against world champions Brazil, in 19 games - suggest that in matters involving players and tactics his record to date is practically unblemished.

But, rather like Arsene Wenger approaching the climax to a recordbreaking season, he knows it won't mean much without a trophy.

Eriksson has received unprecedented support from the FA but is now a diminished figure in the eyes of the man in the street.

How can he regain the public's trust and loyalty?

Simple! Win the European title this summer. But perhaps that's a bit too much to ask of a £4m-a-year man!