Sven-Goran Eriksson denied yesterday that he has been offered Claudio Ranieri's job at Chelsea, but the details of his denial provided an interesting insight into life at the top of the football world, and into the modus operandi of Roman Abramovich, the club's new owner.
He described Abramovich as "a friend" whom he has met several times. But he insisted that when he took tea at the Russian's London home recently, in a meeting revealed to the world by a paparazzo photograph, there was no attempt to lure him to the club.
After being caught on film keeping an appointment at 39 Lowndes Square, where he was ushered through the front door by Pini Zahavi, the well-connected football agent, Eriksson found him self accused of flirting with the notion of abandoning his England post. The proof, it was said, came when Chelsea started buying or bidding for players with whom the Swede has already worked.
Yesterday, during the build-up to tonight's friendly match against Croatia at Ipswich, Eriksson spoke of his relationship with Abramovich in terms which hardly discouraged a belief that the Russian may indeed have benefited from his advice.
"It was not the first time I've seen him," Eriksson said. "I've seen him many times. I was presented to him by Mr Pini, who I've known since I was the manager of Benfica, when he was involved with two Russian players I had. As Pini lives in London, when I came to England we have eaten together now and then, and one occasion was with Mr Roman."
But he had no foreknowledge, he said, of the governor of Chukotka's sudden swoop on Stamford Bridge. "What I knew was that he was going into football, and maybe formula one. He told me that some time ago. I didn't know that he was going to buy Chelsea. It was a big surprise."
Had Abramovich asked him, either during their photographed rendezvous or at another time, to be the manager of Chelsea in the future? "No, no. You are invited to take a cup of tea in the house of a friend, and you are not going there to discuss making a contract with the club."
Asked later by a Sky TV reporter if he thought that meeting had been a mistake he said no, but then modified his reponse to "maybe".
Had he spoken to Ranieri about the speculation? "I talked to Ranieri." Had he apologised to the Italian? "I didn't say anything because there's nothing to say."
Eriksson would not be human if he had not inwardly squirmed with envy in his seat at Anfield on Sunday while watching Ranieri cajole the new Chelsea to victory over Liverpool. Here was a fellow coach relishing the opportunity to direct a bunch of very expensive new assets in the knowledge that if one element failed to function properly, he would be able to try something else on the training ground a couple days later and see the results in a real match within the week.
Five years ago, when Sergio Cragnotti gave Eriksson a blank cheque to create a successful Lazio side, the Swede was in that fortunate position. No doubt part of him would not mind being there again.
Like all international managers, Eriksson feels that the worst part of his job is the denial of the right to get his players back in on Monday morning and work with them on new solutions. In his position, a single failure is horribly exposed. The best part of the job, probably, is his £2.5m salary, but his reputation is such that, even in football's current economic state, he would certainly find a club in Italy, England or Spain willing to match it, should he and the FA part company.
"I'm sorry that, during my 2 years here [with England], every time there's something happening with a club, my name is linked," he said. "But I'm also honoured by it, to be fair. And I'm still here."
Speculation that failure to do well in Euro 2004 would mean his departure was revived a few days ago when Mark Palios, the new chairman of the FA, revealed that his successor is already being sought. In some quarters, that simple admission of prudent behaviour was taken to indicate a lack of confidence in Eriksson's intention to see out a contract that expires after the 2006 World Cup.
If England were to fail to qualify for next summer's finals, Eriksson said yesterday, "I don't think any of you would want me any more." Later he added: "I said that half-joke, half-true, but I think it is more true than joke."
Asked what he planned to do to silence the speculation about his intentions, he said: "Nothing. I have no intention of doing anything about it. Let's try to beat Croatia, then qualify, and then have a good Euro. Then we'll see what's happening."
Failure to qualify in October would certainly put him back in the market place. So, probably, would anything less than a place in the semi-finals in Portugal. Either way, England's young Chelsea contingent may be seeing plenty of him over the next few seasons.
