Eriksson talks to Benfica in anticipation of City sacking

Premiership

Sven Goran Eriksson is expected to wave goodbye to Manchester City during the summer

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Sven Goran Eriksson met representatives of Benfica yesterday afternoon at the Manchester hotel where the Manchester City owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, reportedly sacked him 10 days ago and has been offered £1.8m a year to sign for the club he has managed twice before.

Eriksson's meeting with the Benfica president, Luis Filipe Vieira, and the club's legendary midfielder Rui Costa, who will retire on Sunday and move into a role as director of football, took place at the Radisson Edwardian, where Eriksson has been living while managing City.

Eriksson said last night: "I've had a meeting with the Benfica people. I'm considering the offer and it will be a step forward in my career." But he has told some friends that he is not entirely sure about the three-year contract, which would entail an estimated £700,000-a-year pay cut, and he may prefer to wait until the end of the season and see what other offers come in.

The Swede's career at City is clearly over, though, with Thaksin infuriated by the way Eriksson has portrayed himself as a martyr and angry about some of the failed signings, particularly the £8.8m striker Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson made it clear in an interview with The Independent three weeks ago that the relative peace of Portugal is where his heart is and Vieira certainly pulled a masterstroke by bringing Rui Costa along for the meeting. He was recalled, aged 21, from a loan spell to play for Eriksson during the Swede's second spell at Benfica and flourished under him. Eriksson was pictured deep in conversation with the midfielder at the Radisson Edwardian, where he has a suite of rooms.

The Benfica delegation, which also included Paulo Goncalves, the club's lawyer, did not appear to have returned to Portugal last night with the deal done. It is understood that no agreement has been reached. Benfica are seeking a replacement for Jose Antonio Camacho, who left in March.

The Manchester United assistant coach, Carlos Queiroz, had previously been considered the Lisbon club's top target, but they have become resigned to being unable to prise him from his role at Old Trafford. Vieira has since been left with a two-man short-list for the post, with former Milan coach Alberto Zaccheroni also under consideration.

Eriksson is understood to be Vieira's preferred choice following two previously successful spells at the club. He won three league titles and took Benfica to both the European Cup and Uefa Cup finals during his previous stints, which were between 1982-1984 and 1989-1992.

Eriksson's agent Athole Still indicated last week that a third spell at Benfica's Estadio da Luz was a possibility. "The door is not closed for Benfica," he told the Portuguese newspaper O Jogo. "But the question of money is important." The salary issue may, indeed, be the biggest stumbling block, with the prospect of bigger jobs still possible after a creditable year at City.

If Eriksson does leave, City may find themselves in limbo. Thaksin's preferred choice as manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari, indicated yesterday that he would not be rushed into a decision on whether to move to the club, despite City's desire to have him play a part in preparations for next season.

A source close to the Portugal manager reiterated that it was highly improbable that Scolari would make a decision on Thaksin's £3.25m-a-year contract offer before the European Championships next month, despite suggestions from the Brazilian a few weeks ago that he might tie up his future before the tournament. "It is very unlikely that Scolari makes any decision now, one month ahead of the Championships," the source said.

That leaves City facing a frustrating wait, which will affect their pre-season preparations for a second successive year. Thaksin named Scolari for the first time yesterday, describing him, Jose Mourinho and Eriksson as "great managers" during an interview in China in which he again insisted that his appraisal of City would take place at the end of the season.

"We have not discussed [this] yet," Thaksin said. "We will do an evaluation at the end of the season. What needs to be changed, what needs to be added to the success of the club, we will discuss [then]. We have not decided yet. That's normal for every club. Sven, Scolari, Mourinho, they are great coaches, great managers."

Whether Scolari would be prepared to succeed Eriksson remains to be seen. The Brazilian has indicated that Euro 2008 will be his last tournament in charge of Portugal and the retirement of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president, Dr Gilberto Madaíl, who hired the Brazilian and has been his great ally, would appear to bring the curtain down on an era.

Though some observers in the country believe that Scolari, a manager long out of club football, might stay if Portugal prosper in Austria and Switzerland, the FPF will be unable to match Thaksin's offer as they contribute only half of his salary. The rest comes from corporate sponsors.