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SVEN-GÖRAN ERIKSSON

Eriksson set to lead Man City on Asia tour

Manchester City's Swedish manager Sven-Göran Eriksson will be in charge for his team's tour of Asia this month, a report said on Wednesday, as speculation mounts that Luiz Felipe Scolari will be his successor.

Club owner Thaksin Shinawatra is in Thailand and was asked about Eriksson Wednesday, but only smiled in response as he prepared to board a plane for China to play golf.

However, City spokesman Paul Tyrell was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying the Swede would be on the tour that includes matches in Thailand on May 17th and Hong Kong on May 22nd.

“The media speculation (about Eriksson’s fate) does not affect the visit. Mr. Eriksson will be attending,” said Tyrell.

Asked if Eriksson would remain at the club, Tyrell said no official announcement had been made and that Thaksin would conduct a full review at the end of the season.

The English Premier League club play their final game of the current campaign against Middlesbrough this weekend.

Former Thai premier Thaksin is widely expected to fire Eriksson even though he will deliver on the target of a top-half finish during his first season in charge at Eastlands.

Thaksin’s lack of support for the former England manager has angered many

City fans who almost unanimously came out in support of the Swede in the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool at the weekend.

But his days appear numbered with English newspapers reporting Wednesday that City have offered Portugal coach Scolari a package worth 3.2 million pounds a year ($6.3 million) to succeed Eriksson.

The Times of London said Thaksin has demanded an answer from Scolari before the Brazilian leads Portugal into the European Championship finals next month.

It said Scolari was understood to be interested, but would prefer to wait until after the finals in Austria and Switzerland before making a decision on his future.

City arrive in Thailand on May 14th to open a club store before playing against the Thailand Premier All-Stars on May 17th.

The team will then relax in the resort of Pattaya before leaving on May 20 for matches in Hong Kong against a South China XI and Italian giants Juventus.

FOOTBALL

Eriksson refuses 1860 Munich coaching job

Ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has snubbed German second division side 1860 Munich, just three days after it was announced the Swede would join the Bavarian outfit's coaching staff.

Eriksson refuses 1860 Munich coaching job
Photo: DPA

Eriksson, 64, had met the club’s board for seven hours on Tuesday before it was confirmed that he would work alongside coach Alexander Schmidt.

But 1860, who share the Allianz Arena with Bayern Munich but were relegated in 2004, said Friday that after a period of reflection, Eriksson had changed his mind.

The club’s Jordanian investor Hasan Ismaik had wanted Erikkson appointed as head coach but a compromise was reached for the Swede to work with Schmidt, who took charge in November.

Eriksson had been working with Thai club Tero Sasana and his lengthy resume of former clubs includes Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio and Manchester City.

As well as having coached England, he has also managed the national teams of Mexico (2008-09) and Ivory Coast (2010).

Schmidt, 44, was previously the club’s Under-21 coach and only took charge of the first team on November 17 after Reiner Maurer was sacked.

After 19 matches of the season, 1860 Munich are sixth in the table, five points off third place which would guarantee at least a promotion play-off spot.

AFP/The Local/mw

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