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Sven Says Abramovich Can Call Him If He Wants
The former England manager says the Chelsea owner, a personal friend, has his phone number and can call him if he wants to talk about the vacant manager's position at Stamford Bridge.
Feb 10, 2009 7:30:47 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson tried his best to deflect questions about the rumors swirling at a press conference here on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Mexico’s World Cup qualifier with the United States. But when the rumors include talk of his being close to taking the reins at EPL side Chelsea or Portsmouth, any efforts to sidestep the controversy are pointless.
Eriksson, whose tenure with Mexico, some believe, is riding on Wednesday’s result, did little himself to quell the rumor-mongering, choosing instead to play coy and joke his way out of the tenuous situation.
“I am focused on the game tomorrow,” he said, then proceeded to turn his focus away from the game. “But it is not bad to be linked with such good jobs. If Chelsea wants me, the owner will phone me. I know him personally very well. He has my numbers.”
And so?
“He has not phoned me,” he concluded.
Mexico are being forced to play the US in the Ohio capital due to a bit of gamesmanship by the US side. The thought is that the Mexican players will not enjoy the cold of February in the American Midwest, and so far the US is 2-0 against Mexico in World Cup qualifiers in Columbus. When asked if he had any lucky venues when he was coaching England, Eriksson veered slightly off topic and seemed to get at something deeper.
“You know, I was a little bit unlucky with England,” he said. “The last game at the old Wembley was played just before I took over. Then the first game after I left was in the new Wembley. So my team in five years never played a game in Wembley.”
Greg Lalas, Goal.com
Eriksson, whose tenure with Mexico, some believe, is riding on Wednesday’s result, did little himself to quell the rumor-mongering, choosing instead to play coy and joke his way out of the tenuous situation.
“I am focused on the game tomorrow,” he said, then proceeded to turn his focus away from the game. “But it is not bad to be linked with such good jobs. If Chelsea wants me, the owner will phone me. I know him personally very well. He has my numbers.”
And so?
“He has not phoned me,” he concluded.
Mexico are being forced to play the US in the Ohio capital due to a bit of gamesmanship by the US side. The thought is that the Mexican players will not enjoy the cold of February in the American Midwest, and so far the US is 2-0 against Mexico in World Cup qualifiers in Columbus. When asked if he had any lucky venues when he was coaching England, Eriksson veered slightly off topic and seemed to get at something deeper.
“You know, I was a little bit unlucky with England,” he said. “The last game at the old Wembley was played just before I took over. Then the first game after I left was in the new Wembley. So my team in five years never played a game in Wembley.”
Greg Lalas, Goal.com
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