Eriksson cleared but crisis not over

SOCCER/English FA scandal: Sven-Goran Eriksson was last night "very relieved and pleased" at being given the go-ahead to continue as England coach after being cleared of any wrong-doing by the English Football Association board.

However, he should be in little doubt that any problems in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup - most notably in next month's games away to Austria and Poland - could still lead to his ultimate downfall.

Eriksson was cleared of lying to his employers when initially asked about allegations of a relationship with Faria Alam, who paid the price of her own firm rebuttal to the same question by resigning.

As a result of a detailed report presented to yesterday's lengthy board meeting in London, the FA powerbrokers admitted there had been "deficiencies surrounding management procedures" but concluded that the Swede had "no case to answer".

It has nevertheless still become clear that there is a groundswell of opposition to the Swede among some board members because of his relative lack of success on a salary of over £4 million a year.

An FA statement read: "In the case of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the board decided on the basis of the report and on legal advice that there is no case for him to answer."

Eriksson's agent, Athole Still, said: "I called Sven immediately after hearing the news and he was going out for dinner with Tord Grip (his England assistant coach). He just said 'good', with a nice chuckle.

"He is obviously very pleased and relieved.

"He is looking forward to carrying on with his job."

With Eriksson cleared, it was left to chief executive Mark Palios, who has already quit, and director of communications Colin Gibson, whose resignation was accepted yesterday, to shoulder the blame for the scandal, along with Alam.

Chairman Geoff Thompson and executive director David Davies escaped punishment, although both are likely to have been left in no doubt by their colleagues that there had still been failings on their part.

Indeed, as the FA search for a new chief executive, two senior figures - Premier League chairman Dave Richards and Roger Burden, from the amateur side of the game with experience of running the Cheltenham & Gloucester Building Society - were asked to "support" Thompson.

The promotion of two powerful figures to baby-sit Thompson is as close to a vote of no confidence as the board could effect without actually proposing a motion.

Despite the deep-seated dissatisfaction at Thompson's disastrous handling of the scandal, the board concluded that it would do the FA further damage to try to unseat him.

Under FA rules the chairman can only be removed by a meeting of the full council of 92 members, and with the next meeting scheduled for October, the 12-member panel reasoned that the organisation should be spared 10 weeks of further rows and speculation over his chances of survival.

Richards' role will provide the professional game with a further foothold in the administration of the governing body. As the chairman of the Premier League, Richards is a powerful figure and his elevation is a sign that, with the FA having demonstrated it is barely fit to organise a friendly in recent weeks, the professional game is set to assume greater control.

In its statement, which identified "deficiencies" in the FA's management, the board made it clear that the Premier League and the Football League will have input into the inquiry.

Even before yesterday's meeting, pressure was building in the game for the creation of a slimmed-down management board under an executive chairman, with Trevor Brooking considered an ideal "unity candidate".

Richards' elevation is not necessarily good news for Eriksson. He is known to oppose the Swede's salary.

The Swede and his advisers will also have noted the qualified nature of the board's decision. The statement said he had been cleared only after legal advice had been taken, indicating the report compiled by the solicitor Peter Norbury did not deliver a categorical not guilty verdict.