City challenge excites Eriksson
Friday, July 6, 2007
Article summary
Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson has agreed a three-year contract to take charge of Manchester City FC, who are under new ownership.
Article body
A year after stepping down as England manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson has returned to work after agreeing a three-year contract to take charge of Manchester City FC, who are also under new ownership.
New owner
The 59-year-old Swede has been out of a job since guiding England to the 2006 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals but was the preferred choice of City's new owner and chairman, Thaksin Shinawatra, and first oversaw training on Wednesday. The deal was delayed as the Thai businessman waited to assume control of 75 per cent of the Premier League club. Eriksson spent five years with England, leading them to the last eight of the last two World Cups as well as UEFA EURO 2004™. City had been without a manager since Stuart Pearce left on 14 May after steering them to 14th place in the 2006/07 campaign.
'Big, big club'
"I'm very happy but now it's time to start working," said Eriksson. "There are many reasons I decided to come here - this is a big, big club, the Premier League is the best in the world, and if you get the opportunity to work here you have to take it. I know what a big club this is. I've been here for many games and the club have great fans - lots of them. I'm looking forward to the exciting job and an exciting season. I would not have accepted this job if I thought I couldn't be a success. It's up to me, the players and the club to prove we can be competitive and I'm sure you will see Manchester City higher in the table."
Successful career
Eriksson first came to prominence in his homeland with IFK Göteborg, notably winning the 1981/82 UEFA Cup. He went on to enjoy spells at SL Benfica, lifting three league titles in two spells, AS Roma, ACF Fiorentina and UC Sampdoria. However, his career was to really take off upon joining S.S. Lazio in 1997. There he claimed the Coppa Italia twice, the 1998/99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and, in 1999/00, the second Scudetto in the Rome side's history. Eriksson is the only manager to have done the double in three countries - Sweden, Portugal and Italy.