Sven facing FA quiz over denial

Damaging revelations: Sven-Goran Eriksson

David Bond, Deputy Political Editor @djbond6873|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Sven-Goran Eriksson will come under intense pressure this week to explain why the Football Association was allowed to score such an embarrassing own-goal over allegations that he was having a relationship with an FA secretary.

Senior members of the FA's 12-man executive board want to know why the game's governing body last week released such a strong denial of stories that Eriksson was seeing Faria Alam behind partner Nancy Dell'Olio's back.

Emails from Alam to friends, leaked to newspapers over the weekend, proved the story was true and forced the FA into releasing another statement yesterday which confirmed Eriksson was involved with her.

In another embarrassing twist for the FA, it was also reported that chief executive Mark Palios had a relationship with the same woman in January, shortly before she started seeing Eriksson.

Although senior FA figures acknowledge that they cannot interfere in the private lives of Eriksson or Palios, the story is the latest in a long line of damaging revelations to compromise the organisation.

They are particularly concerned about FA's public image and want to know if Eriksson was even asked about the story before the denial was issued. It is understood the FA exposed themselves based on the vehement denial given to them by Alam, who approached Soho Square lawyers for legal advice in tackling the allegations.

She now faces a fight to keep her job as secretary to the FA's executive director David Davies when she returns from holiday next Monday. Eriksson is currently on an extended summer break in Sweden. A senior FA source told Standard Sport: "On one level single people can do what they want but it has unfortunate connotations in terms of the moral responsibilities of the FA and the denials that were put out.

"If employees have deliberately been misleading the organisation that's very embarrassing.

"As an employer of people I would take a very dim view if someone had lied through their teeth denying a story that turned out to be true. If he (Sven) thinks it's just going to go away, it isn't."

The FA board is not due to meet to discuss the issue until 26 August, but an emergency meeting could be called sooner if the controversy refuses to die down. It is extremely unlikely that Eriksson will be forced to resign his £4milliona-year post over the controversy, but the comments show patience is running out.

A lot will depend on how England perform in their opening World Cup 2006 qualification matches in September. Another FA insider added: "It seems to be becoming a common theme with him. The whole thing is, frankly, tacky and unprofessional."

Dave Richards, chairman of the Premier League and a member of the FA board, said: "I am sure the board will want explanations. When you start telling lies it is very serious."

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