Sven-Goran Eriksson’s position as national coach would be untenable if he were the Italy manager.
Though it is off-the-field matters that threaten Eriksson’s position as England manager, defeat in the quarterfinals in two successive international tournaments would already have cost him his job in more demanding footballing environments.
Dino Zoff coached Italy to the Euro 2000 final, which his side lost to France through a golden goal. Yet Zoff felt that he had to quit the post after criticism from the country’s prime minister, the Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, of his narrow failure to win the tournament.
‘When you coach a team like Italy you know that you have to win,†Zoff said this week. ‘Maybe you can have a second chance, but then if you don’t win it’s over.
‘I guess [Giovanni] Trapattoni knew from the beginning that only winning the tournament could save his position after the early exit from the World Cup 2002. You know it from the moment you accept the job. You are there to win.â€
Trapattoni is one of seven coaches at Euro 2004 no longer in the job.
Eriksson’s failure to win the 2002 World Cup or Euro 2004 has not led to the disparagement of his abilities from such influential figures as the prime minister. However, the tide of public opinion is turning against the Swede and the body language during those tournaments that was once considered a reflection of Eriksson’s unflappability is now being interpreted as an inability to react to danger.
Moreover, it is suspected that the Football Association (FA) no longer believes it is getting value for money from its lavishly remunerated England manager. With Chelsea keen to recruit Eriksson on the eve of Euro 2004, the FA stretched itself to give him a reported £4-million-a-year contract.
This, the most lucrative deal in international football management, takes Eriksson to the next European Championship in 2008. Its value and longevity have shackled the FA to a degree that would be unheard of in a nation such as Italy.
Committed as it is to the £757-million construction of the Wembley national stadium, the FA sees its room for manoeuvre is restricted to the extent that only his resignation or dismissal for gross misconduct can remove him.
This is a familiar scenario. Despite a second-round exit from France 98, Glenn Hoddle survived, only to be fired for his outspoken beliefs. Terry Venables, who could not win the Euro 96 trophy despite England being hosts, resigned to concentrate on his legal cases amid what he felt was a lack of support from the FA.
Gabriele Marcotti, London correspondent of the Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport, believes this indicates a certain degree of incompetence within the FA.
‘Two of the past three England managers have been sacked for non-football reasons,†said Marcotti. ‘You have to think there is something wrong here. If you are administrating a sport, people should be sacked for sporting reasons.â€
Marcotti has always been surprised by England’s relative lack of ambition, whereby failure is almost excused.
‘There is a much higher sense of expectation in Italy. I remember reading after France 98 how well Glenn Hoddle had done as manager,†said Marcotti.
‘I was amazed. England should go into every tournament expecting to win it, even if they know they are not good enough. Brazil, Germany, Italy, England, these nations are the aristocracy of world football and they should expect to win.â€
Zoff refers to the ’60-million coaches†in his country — the football-obsessed populace — that make the Italy post all the harder to succeed in.
Yet at least Italy’s managers are typically more experienced internationally than those who lead England. Though Eriksson had a pedigree of success with Lazio, Benfica and IFK Gothenburg, he was green to international management.
His predecessors, Kevin Keegan and Hoddle, were even more so.
‘Hoddle had done very little before getting the England job: a cup final with Chelsea, promotion with Swindon, but not much else,†said Marcotti.
‘The same for Keegan, but it is different in Italy. Trapattoni had won more trophies than almost anyone else in world football, Zoff had been working in the federation for several years and was already highly respected in Italy, and Cesare Maldini had already won the [European] under-21 title several times.
‘It seems in England they get their chance much sooner and tend not to be sacked so easily.â€
The contenders
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Employed by: Unattached
Won Brazil’s fifth World Cup in 2002, beating England in the quarterfinal despite having only 10 men following the dismissal of Ronaldinho. Followed that up with Portugal’s appearance in the Euro 2004 final, their first. Made bold substitutions in the quarterfinal against England in Portugal, not cowering from taking off his captain, Luis Figo. Committed to guiding Portugal to the 2006 World Cup, but there is a window of opportunity until the end of July, during which he is unemployed. Euro 2004 erased his reputation for defensive tactics.
Chances: High, in the long term
Ottmar Hitzfeld
Employed by: Unattached
Understood to have received an approach from the Football Association when Eriksson was attracting strong interest from Chelsea towards the end of last season. Is the only coach in football to have won Champions League titles with different clubs, having turned Borussia Dortmund into the 1997 European champions before doing the same with Bayern Munich in 2001. Failure to land any silverware last season cost him his job with a season to run on his contract, though Bayern fans remember his achievements fondly. Is on a year’s sabbatical from the game.
Chances: Very low
Otto Rehhagel
Employed by: Greece
Was the architect of the greatest international tournament shock in football history when he led Greece to their Euro 2004 triumph. Yet Rehhagel assumed the reins in Athens only after it became clear his options in his native Germany would be restricted after 30 years as a coach with Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Kaiserslautern, winning three Bundesliga titles. In 1992, with Bremen, Rehhagel won the European Cup Winners’ Cup. Ignored the Germany national team’s overtures, committing himself instead to another two years with Greece.
Chances: Very low
Steve McClaren
Employed by: Middlesbrough
Won Middlesbrough’s first-ever trophy with their 2-1 Carling Cup triumph over Bolton Wanderers last season. Is a favourite of Eriksson, who would have asked the former Manchester United assistant manager to join him at Real Madrid or Chelsea had he acceded to their courtship last season. His Englishness makes him attractive to certain sections of the press. However, he does not meet the Football Association’s profile for its next manager and a lack of any significant silverware counts against him, as would his association with the Eriksson era.
Chances: Very low
Trevor Brooking
Employed by: The FA
Highly respected throughout football, with the FA having created the post of director of football development for him last year. Has previous administrative experience as chief executive of Sport England. Is the most readily available candidate should Eriksson be forced out, and has already stepped into an emergency breach in club management. Came close to securing Premiership survival for West Ham in 2002/03 season after taking over caretaker-manager duties when illness forced Glenn Roeder to step down.
Chances: High, in the short term. —