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by **account deleted by request** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:30 pm

Eriksson to be sacked by Man City
By Simon Austin

Manchester City's form has faltered badly since Christmas

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.

"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."

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".

---------------------------------

WTF is happening with football, instant success or the door? I thought Sven had done a pretty good job at Citeh. Makes you wonder what would have happened had he actually taken over at Liverpool !

by **JC_81** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:37 pm

Sacking Sven is a disgrace. Man City were cannon fodder until he took over. They may have dipped in form since christmas, but he certainly shouldn't be fired.

by **Number 9** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:00 pm

Absolute travesty if this happens!
For his first season he has done well i reckon.They started the league excellently for the first few games but it was obvious they were playing above themselves.
Chinwatra or whatever you call him should be happy with Sven so far.It jsut goes to show the mentality of these foreign business men at times.They seem to think you come along buy a team,get a decent manager pump in a lot of million and bingo,instant success,It does'nt work like that.

It shows he knows fu.ck all about the game.He should take a look at Newcastle and their impatience with managers and realise that keeping the same manager for a few seasons at least is better and will benefit the club more in time!
Not Svens biggest fan but does not deserve to loose his job.

by **Sabre** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:02 pm

Man city are clueless

by **LFC2007** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:16 pm

Assuming his agent is in the know....

It's a fucking joke tbh - what happened to patience?

Two observations; i) Before appointing a manager, Chairmen and owners should be more thorough, appoint only after careful, well considered judgements. ii) Have patience in reasonable circumstances.

It's getting embarrassing, too many managers being appointed without due consideration, and too many sacked without being given enough time.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:26 pm

Absolutely crazy decision.

:no

by **account deleted by request** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:08 pm

I could understand Newcastle sacking fat sam more than this one though. At Newcastle the supporters were screaming for blood, I think most Citeh fans have been quite pleased with the season overall. Probably disappointed that they couldn't last the pace but at least they had a run for their money beat the mancs and will finish midtable.

by **ivor_the_injun** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:53 pm

It would be outrageous, but I think this is increasingly the problem as non-football literate chairmen take over Premiership clubs. Shinawatra seems to think pumping a bit of money into a below average side would guarantee him a ride on the European gravy train, but quite frankly he has no idea where City were and where they are now, and how that represents an absolutely outrageous leap forwards.

Too many people in the game seem to want the impossible immediately. Hicks and Gillett spring to mind.

by **clarke90** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:50 pm

What a joke!
Feel sorry for city because they will end up like Newcastle with a new manger every 6 months.
Sven has been unlucky with injuries. Most recently playing a left back ,centre back(Ball) and an attacking midfielder at right back(Elano)
Hope Sven gets another job in the Prem

by **laza** » Tue May 06, 2008 1:12 am

Well this is price of big money , unrealistic expectations from not just fans but clueless chairmen.

Considering Grant at Chelsea could also be updating his resume as well, its madness madness i tell ya

by **JamCar05** » Tue May 06, 2008 9:31 am

Would be an immensely stupid decision imo. Glad we didn't get Thaksin as owner back when (though what we got instead hasn't exactly been all that great either

)

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Tue May 06, 2008 11:27 pm

the owner fella wants all the players to bow to him in the tunnel and wants to pick the starting 11 apparently. :laugh:

i don't give a monkeys really because the city fans don't deserve to support a side who does well. so often their ground has more empty seats than filled ones. really poorly supported club.

sven's did a decent job considering the stick he got when appointed. silly to sack him, but for the fact that the fans can't be arsed to go to the city of manchester stadium and support him, shows how little they care anyway IMO.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Wed May 07, 2008 6:34 pm

I don't blame Shinawanka.

After all, he only wanted Sven to win the Premiership, FA Cup, Carling Cup and qualify for the Champions League in his first season.

Hardly unreasonable demands.

After all, Shinawanka managed to do that while playing "Football Manager" on his PC.

by **LFC2007** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:01 am

Benfica are interested apparently

by **woof woof !** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:33 am

god_bless_john_houlding wrote:i don't give a monkeys really because the city fans don't deserve to support a side who does well. so often their ground has more empty seats than filled ones. really poorly supported club.

sven's did a decent job considering the stick he got when appointed. silly to sack him, but for the fact that the fans can't be arsed to go to the city of manchester stadium and support him, shows how little they care anyway IMO.

If you could be bothered to do even the most elementary research you'd see that once again you're talking utter tripe.

Since moving to the City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester City's average attendances have been in the top six in England. They also have been voted the most loyal fans in the premership by the BFFA (British Football Fans Association) just above Liverpool and Portsmouth.

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Sven to be sacked ? - I thought he had done pretty well

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