Sven follows Portman Road greats

"He wanted to make his mark as a coach in Sweden. On one of his visits I invited him to sit in the dug-out with me because I told him it would give him a different perspective. He could see it, hear it and feel it in a way that isn't possible if you sit in the stands.

"Then he went on his way, of course, and made his name. Funnily enough, Ipswich won the UEFA Cup in 1981 and the following season his Gothenburg team won it."

Ipswich Town, venue for tonight's European Championship warm-up clash with Croatia, remain rightly proud of the fact that their two most successful managers left the club to manage England. Between them they gave the nation nearly 20 years of service, Ramsey winning the World Cup in 1966 and Robson reaching the semi-finals in 1990.

"Of course I'd like to do something like that for England," said Eriksson. "It is my hope. But first we must qualify for the European finals."

England are enjoying good form - five straight wins since that defeat by Australia - and it's vital that nothing slows the momentum as they prepare for three critical qualifying ties against Macedonia, Liechtenstein and Turkey.

The Turks, having played one game more, are two points clear at the top of qualifying group seven, with the advantage of playing England at home in their final match. Only one nation qualifies automatically.

With three such important games only weeks away, Eriksson may have good reasons to limit his controversial use of substitutes.

First, the players are not as tired as they might be later in the season and, second, the two points dropped against Macedonia at Southampton last October suggests there is no room for complacency.

This, therefore, is not the time for innovation and experiments. Eriksson needs to fine tune his first-choice team. If England fail, he may not be given the chance to walk out. Remember, the greatest of them all, Ramsey, was sacked by the FA for failing to negotiate the 1974 World Cup qualifying programme.