SENOR SVEN
The rumour mill surrounding the future of Sven Goran Eriksson was back in
motion yesterday, with reports from Spain suggesting he has been informally
approached to become the head coach at Barcelona in the summer.
The speculation has been fuelled by the fact that Barcelona have only given
Radomir Antic, who succeeded Louis van Gaal last week after the Dutchman
was sacked, a contract that runs for six months. They have indicated that the
Yugoslav is a stop-gap solution to their troubles. They have also made plain
their interest in Eriksson, the kind of high-profile coach who may appease the
Catalan fans.
In turn, the Swede has also made it known in the past that Barcelona is one of
only three club jobs that would excite him – the others being Manchester
United and Real Madrid. Added to this is the constant speculation over the
frustration Eriksson feels about the England job and the resistance he meets
from club managers.
Eriksson believes he has been very accommodating to the clubs by cancelling
three friendlies and continuing a policy of mass substitutions.
The Spanish league club's managing director, Javier Perez Farguell, said:
"We are very happy with our appointment of Antic, but a club like Barcelona
must always look to the future and is open to other options. And we would
always listen to a coach like Sven Goran Eriksson with his reputation, his
experience and his curriculum vitae."
Eriksson's contract runs until the World Cup in 2006, although that now
appears a long way away for a man who has become frustrated by the
constraints of being the coach of a national team.
motion yesterday, with reports from Spain suggesting he has been informally
approached to become the head coach at Barcelona in the summer.
The speculation has been fuelled by the fact that Barcelona have only given
Radomir Antic, who succeeded Louis van Gaal last week after the Dutchman
was sacked, a contract that runs for six months. They have indicated that the
Yugoslav is a stop-gap solution to their troubles. They have also made plain
their interest in Eriksson, the kind of high-profile coach who may appease the
Catalan fans.
In turn, the Swede has also made it known in the past that Barcelona is one of
only three club jobs that would excite him – the others being Manchester
United and Real Madrid. Added to this is the constant speculation over the
frustration Eriksson feels about the England job and the resistance he meets
from club managers.
Eriksson believes he has been very accommodating to the clubs by cancelling
three friendlies and continuing a policy of mass substitutions.
The Spanish league club's managing director, Javier Perez Farguell, said:
"We are very happy with our appointment of Antic, but a club like Barcelona
must always look to the future and is open to other options. And we would
always listen to a coach like Sven Goran Eriksson with his reputation, his
experience and his curriculum vitae."
Eriksson's contract runs until the World Cup in 2006, although that now
appears a long way away for a man who has become frustrated by the
constraints of being the coach of a national team.