Sven for the chop

Sven: Out of the door?

Sven Goran Erikkson is to be sacked as Manchester City manager at the end of the season following a bust up with Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

Sven has been under pressure ever since Shinawatra publically expressed his disdain at City’s form since the New Year and hinted at a management shake up come the summer.

The BBC and The Sun report that Sven had an ill-tempered meeting with Shinawatra on Sunday which was to be the final nail in the coffin for the Swede.

Sven informed the players at a training ground meeting on Monday prompting an ‘angry response’ from some players.

The Sun called upon their trusted ‘insiders’ for the skinny. A source revealed that Thaksin wants complete control of his investment, include veto on all transfers and even team selection.

Sven was apparently livid at Thaksin’s public criticism of his management and the City team and inevitably it all came to a head during the meeting on Sunday described by an anonymous source as ‘very unpleasant.’

It begs the question what does a manager have to do to feel safe in his job in the Premier League these days, there has been constant speculation this season about high profile managers including Champions League semi-finalists Avram Grant and Rafa Benitez.

There will be much sympathy for Sven who in hindsight kept fans interested during his regime as England coach, his coaching credentials have never been in question, and few were surprised when he took a frankly awful City side and transformed them into a table topping outfit.

City fans will be livid, many believe Shinawatra should stay upstairs and let the manager get on with job.

Sven will no doubt get a bumper pay-off from City and good luck to him; he had the backing of the players and the fans but not the chairman.

Shinawatra makes Roman Abramovich look like the ideal employer – we fear for the next manager in the City hot seat.

What’s Steve McClaren up to these days?

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