Poll shows support for embattled Eriksson

SOCCER/World Cup qualifying Group Six: England's embattled coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has received a surprising level of public support on the eve of the final two World Cup qualifying matches. Fifty-one per cent of those questioned in a Guardian ICM poll believe Eriksson should stay in his job, despite a concerted media campaign calling for him to be sacked following England's humiliating 1-0 defeat in Northern Ireland last month.

While the Swede's character and tactics have been widely questioned, the poll shows the public are much less certain than the media he is a liability to England's hopes of lifting the World Cup next year. England have to win their next two matches at Old Trafford, against Austria on Saturday and Poland the following Wednesday, to ensure they reach the finals. Defeat would almost certainly mean competing in the play-offs.

The poll shows 51 per cent of respondents, excluding don't knows, think Eriksson should stay, while 49 per cent believe he should stand down. The support increases to 52 per cent (48 per cent against) when those living in Scotland are excluded - hostility to Eriksson is greatest north of the border, with 62 per cent saying he should go, and 38 per cent saying he should stay.

Support for the 57-year-old is strongest among women, with backing of 55 per cent to 45 per cent, while men split 52 per cent to 48 per cent in favour of an early departure.

Eriksson's future was put into doubt by a destabilising 4-1 defeat in a friendly against Denmark. That was followed by last month's fortunate 1-0 victory against Wales and the upset at Windsor Park.

There were reports of tension in the England camp over the 4-5-1 formation that Eriksson selected in Belfast and rumours he had "lost the players". Supporters chanted "Sack the Swede" after the match.

In the aftermath of defeat Eriksson was forced to defend his management style, insisting he could motivate his players and was passionate about the game, saying: "I am desperate when we are losing but I am not shouting."

There were reports later Wayne Rooney had squared up to David Beckham in the dressingroom at half-time, resulting in them being pulled apart by team-mates, which put a further question mark over Eriksson's authority. Rooney had been booked for a lunge on Keith Gillespie and had raged at referee Massimo Busacca, as the captain Beckham tried to calm him down.

Rooney made his peace with Beckham at the weekend after flying out to watch Real Madrid beat Real Mallorca 4-0, which will have cheered Eriksson, although his critics will maintain the coach is too close to his captain. Eriksson has admitted he would lose his job if England failed to qualify, but insisted he would not resign.

Michael Owen has mounted a defence of the England squad and its manager and looked forward to their reputations being repaired at Old Trafford.

"I have been impatient for these matches to come along since the defeat to Northern Ireland in Belfast," the Newcastle forward said.

He is in no doubt either he will be ready to play despite missing his club's draw at Portsmouth at the weekend. "I'm confident I'll be fit for the match on Saturday," he said. "It was a just a dead leg picked up in training and shouldn't affect me too much in the next few days.

"This is our chance to put things right," he confirmed, "and I'm confident we will. I can't wait to get on to the Old Trafford pitch . . . There has been a lot written about supposed disharmony in the dressingroom. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a tight squad, with a firm belief in ourselves and in Sven-Goran Eriksson and his staff."

His former partner at Anfield has every intention of joining him in Germany despite being left out of the squad this week. Birmingham City's Emile Heskey, who already has 43 caps, said: "I want to be in the squad. I want to be on that plane to Germany. I'm more focused now."

Guardian Service