Siren sounds for Eriksson

Just as England were beginning their first warm-up lap on a very narrow pitch at the Slocan Bratislava stadium yesterday morning, a siren sounded here.The timing seemed ominous, not least for Sven-Goran Eriksson as he pulled down his hat to shield himself from the atmospheric, misty drizzle coating the ground.

Eriksson would have been forgiven if his mind had turned to a very different type of siren.

When Ulrika Jonsson's memoirs finally hit the streets Eriksson may be relieved to discover they are no more than background noise and he can get back to the job of managing England.

That, however, seems unlikely. If the build-up to the main event can generate as much curiosity as it did here yesterday, then what happens when the show actually starts? No-one knows the contents of the autobiography yet, but while the Football Association is hoping for the best, it is bracing itself for the worst.

Everything about Eriksson said so, too. In turn he appeared bemused, then weary then suddenly phlegmatic as question after question centred on Jonsson, her book and the possible ramifications. They include, as a worst-case scenario, Eriksson walking away from England after just 19 months in the position.

When he received the critical query as to whether his job was worth this non-football hassle, he replied: "So far, I never felt it (was not worth it). But it's like an old football player playing when he's 35, 40. One day he wakes up in the morning and says 'No, I will not do this any more'. I never felt it, so far, and I hope I will not for many, many years."

Is the hassle more than he ever could have expected, though?

"Well, I guess that it might be my fault, it might be the way things are in the country I'm working in. But yes, to answer your question it has been much more outside football than I expected. But I always said as long as I love my job, and as long as I have no complaints, I will go on."

Eriksson said that he did not anticipate anything in the course of the next 48 hours persuading him to resign from the England post but he would not be the first to leave over matters away from the football pitch.

"It's not very productive to have concerns about things you can't do anything about," Eriksson said as he endeavoured to emphasise how "focused" he is on this evening's match. "You really can't be worried about things you don't know about. When it (Jonsson's book) comes out maybe I am worried, maybe not.

"But I want to talk about football, not my private life. It is worth a lot of things to be England manager. I am very proud to be England manager - sometimes you have to pay a price and as long as I am willing to pay a price ..."

Those last words carry a drama greater than their delivery. They came at a Bratislava hotel and to the accompaniment of a barking dog outside an open window. There was a degree of sniggering about that and ultimately it may be the level of embarrassment that Eriksson feels he can endure which will determine a decision about his immediate future.

Earlier, walking around the pitch and settling in one of the dugouts were four members of the International Committee - Noel White, the chairman, Dave Richards, Geoff Thompson and Frank Patterson. These men, among others, also anxiously await Jonsson's disclosures.

Thankfully at 6.30 p.m. Irish time a football match will break out. England, Eriksson was pleased to say, need to win it. Ensuring that they do so he appears to have made some tough decisions.

These feature the prospective dropping of Danny Mills to let Gary Neville reclaim his place; Jonathan Woodgate starting alongside Gareth Southgate rather than Ugo Ehiogu; the non-selection of Alan Smith to allow Emile Heskey to partner Michael Owen; and a midfield four of Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Steven Gerrard.

Four months ago the idea of Butt being indispensable would have seemed far-fetched, but Eriksson's desire to play Butt and Gerrard in central midfield has taken Scholes out to the left.Scholes could be the creative key against a Slovak side that Eriksson expects to be hard to break down. If he is allowed to drift then he might even bring greater balance, but then given that Middlesbrough players joke about Szilard Nemeth running awkwardly because he has one leg shorter than the other, imbalance would not be inappropriate.

Yesterday was certainly off-kilter.

ENGLAND (probable, 4-4-2): Seaman (Arsenal); G Neville (Man Utd), Woodgate (Leeds United), Southgate (Middlesbrough), Cole (Arsenal); Beckham (Man Utd), Butt (Man Utd), Gerrard (Liverpool), Scholes (Man Utd); Owen (Liverpool), Heskey (Liverpool).

Guardian Service