Sven fights back

14 April 2012

Sven-Goran Eriksson today welcomed the decision to launch a full inquiry into the controversy surrounding his relationship with Football Association secretary Faria Alam.

Although Eriksson is now fighting for his future as England coach, the Swede
believes it will present him with an opportunity to put his side of the story.

His agent Athole Still said today: “That’s great news. I am delighted and Sven will be too that there is to be a full investigation.”

Eriksson is angry that the FA issued a retraction of their original denial of allegations he was seeing Alam. The crux of the inquiry will come down to whether Eriksson was even asked about the affair. If he was, and it is found he lied, he could be sacked for breach of his £4million-a-year contract.

Still refused to comment further on whether Eriksson had misled his employers, who are furious at being put in such a compromising position.

FA chairman Geoff Thompson was due to announce an internal inquiry into the
scandal today after the FA was forced into an embarrassing U-turn last week over allegations that he and chief execut ive Mark Palios were romantically involved with Alam.

Although senior FA officials acknowledge they cannot interfere in the private
lives of the two men, both of whom are not married, there is concern for the public image of the game’s governing body.

An emergency meeting of the FA’s 12-man board will be called within the next few days, when it is expected they will discuss the findings of the inquiry, led by Sheffield magistrate Thompson.

Sources close to Eriksson fear the affair could be used as a way of sacking the coach without a pay-off — estimated to be worth up to £14m.

But the FA are also consulting top city lawyers to see if he has breached his contract on moral grounds and brought the FA into disrepute.

The FA hope to conduct their inquiry quickly — England’s first international is against Ukraine next month — and in a calm atmosphere.

Key players in the inquiry are expected to include Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, an Eriksson supporter, and other members of the FA international committee including David Richards, of the Premier League, Robert Coar of Blackburn, and David Sheepshanks of Ipswich.

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