Sven through 2008

[buckeye5]

I came here to see if there was any reaction to Eriksson's contract extension through Euro 2008??

[sinner78]

I honestly thought he was on his way out after euro 2004.
Looks like he signed the deal in exchange for a massive contract and the inclusion of a mid-season break for the premiership.

[Mobile]

It's a win-win situation for Sven.

He's earned himself a nice little pay rise, he has - temporarily at least - put an end to the speculation surrounding his future, and he has of course left himself in exactly the same position as he was before in terms of whether or not he honours his contract. Signing an extension until 2008 is absolutely no guarantee that he will stay that long.

He may well still leave after 2004 and personally I wouldn't blame him. But I think England will really struggle to replace him.

[Matt Clark]

This is the most blatant "shotgun wedding" contract extension we have seen in a long time. Basically, Svennis was off to Real Madrid or Chelsea in the summer and got caught with his pants down by the tabs on Friday, coming out of Kenyon's gaff after discussions.

Now, for me there's nothing wrong with that. We English have a tendency to be rather hypocritical and myopic about the England manager's job and apply standards to the incumbent that no sane person would tolerate in any other walk of life. But that's another matter.

Basically, reports suggest that SGE has changed his mind on whether to stay or go a number of times in the last few months - on the one hand hankering after a return to club football, on the other hand fearful of the backlash from everyone in England should he walk out of the job and take over at Chelsea (hence the Real Madrid link).

As Mobile says though - it makes no practical difference, above and beyond parking the Chelsea speculation for a bit. He was under contract until 2006 in any case and that didn't stop the widespread belief that he would leave in August of this year.

[Mackannovic]

Don't get too excited when he signed a pre-contract with Blackburn in 97 to be new boss in the summer he went back on his word. It looks a bit like a ok I'll sign now shut up. If he loses every group game in Euro 2004, he'll be hated by the English public and inevitably have to leave with a large wad of cash. Basically if someone came up to you with a bag of money would you turn it down knowing how managers in the past have been sacked by England.

[Matt Clark]

No is "excited". This is entirely unremarkable news. All it does is remove the Chelsea links from the agenda in the run-up to Euro 2004, which is in and of itself positive, but hardly a matter of excitement.

[Mackannovic]

I was replying to the initial post when I said "Don't get excited".It's not gonna get rid of the speculation. If England fail to win Euro 2004 people will say maybe it's because he has one eye on the Chelsea job(Which he shouldn't get but thats another matter). As you have said this does appear to have the looks of a "shot-gun wedding" and probably should have been done weeks if not months ago as soon as the slightest inkling of a Chelsea appointment came out. Fact is he was still pictured meeting Peter Kenyon for some reason and people will continue to wonder why and speculate, press included. If anything I think this contract thats been worked up in what appears to be a matter of hours only adds to the story.

[Matt Clark]

If England fail to win (well, not win, but fail to progress at least to the semis) then the press that is currently haranguing him for his lack of loyalty will be stabbing him in the back before you can say "Fleet Street Hypocrisy".

As to the involvement in Chelsea, he's done nothing wrong. Why on earth should he not entertain the proposal, at least listen to what they have to say before making his decision? Like I said in my earlier post, people tend to hold the England manager to standards they themselves would never tolerate. He has a contract - that works both ways. It means that the FA would have been handsomely compensated for his early departure from the post, so why on earth should he be denied the right everyone else has to entertain the prospect of alternative employment?

Why did he meet Peter Kenyon? Because he hankers after a return to club football at some point (I doubt he will stay with England until 2006, let alone 2008) and Chelsea are a unique, intriguing project that any manager worth his salt would fancy.

As to the contract, that has not been on the table for hours, it was first offered him in November of last year.