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Eriksson plays down talk of lucrative pay off

LONDON (Reuters) - Sven-Goran Eriksson says his premature departure from his job as England's head coach may not cost the FA "one single penny" despite reports he is in line for a lucrative pay off.

The 57-year-old Swede also countered criticism he has been overpaid since being installed as England's first foreign head coach in 2000.

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After a lengthy meeting on Monday between the FA and Eriksson it was agreed he would leave his post after this year's World Cup finals in Germany, despite a contract running until the 2008 European Championship.

Reports in English newspapers estimated he could leave with a compensation package of up to five million pounds but Eriksson said any pay off would be waived if he found a new job before the World Cup was over.

Eriksson refused to reveal full details of the deal and FA chief executive Brian Barwick said it was a "private agreement".

"I would like to say very strongly that hopefully it will not cost the FA one penny," Eriksson told reporters on Tuesday.

"I can't be sure but I'm quite confident it will not cost the FA."

Eriksson is free to search for a new job over the next few months, a situation that will raise eyebrows in the run-up to a World Cup, but Barwick believes the situation is "manageable".

"If I want to stay in football I can't wait until July 10 to get a new job, that's obvious, all of us know that," said Eriksson.

"If I'm going to negotiate I have my agent. But I don't know where because in football you don't take the first step to ask can I come and work for you?, they offer you the job.

"I am free to talk about it but it will not affect our preparation for the World Cup."

TABLOID HEADLINES

Eriksson's tenure as England coach has been dogged by tabloid headlines about his private life and criticism that his four million pounds salary is excessive.

He hit the front pages again in the past two weeks after being quoted in a Sunday newspaper saying he would leave the England job to join Aston Villa.

The News of the World sting, in which a reporter posed as a rich Arab businessman, also quoted Eriksson talking candidly about several high-profile members of the England squad.

"Have I been value for money? I don't know, I can't say that," he said.

"What I can say about money is that when I was at Lazio I was on a certain amount of money and the money I started on with England was more or less the same.

"If you want a coach on that level the fact is you have to pay that money. If you want (Roberto) Mancini or (Alex) Ferguson or (Arsene) Wenger, for instance. That's a fact.

"I never understood in this country why I'm accused of going for too much money. I can at least think of 10 managers in Europe who earn more money than I do."

Eriksson has offered to give evidence to a Premier League inquiry into transfer irregularities in the English game.

He spoke to the FA's compliance unit on Monday about his private opinions, printed in last Sunday's News of the World, that managers were taking bungs.

The Premier League have since launched an inquiry and Eriksson could be called to give evidence.

"If the Premier League want me to take part in the inquiry I am extremely happy to do that and explain, just as I did with the FA."

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