Eriksson's credibility at breaking point

In an attempt to diffuse the issue, Still divulged another private conversation to BBC Radio Five yesterday morning: "Sven said to me quite recently, 'Perhaps I've got used to this job, despite the annoyances of it - perhaps you should have a word with [FA chief executive] Brian Barwick and see if the FA would be interested in me staying until 2010'."

But if Eriksson or Still - who accompanied the England manager and his lawyer, Richard Des Voeux, to Dubai for his negotiations with an undercover reporter posing as a wealthy Arab - believed that such assurances would assuage the ''fears'' of England fans, or the FA, then it can only lead to questions about their judgment.

Not for the first time, it is primarily this that has landed Eriksson in serious trouble. But this time, with the Swede's credibility stretched to breaking point, perhaps beyond, it seems more serious since the revelations are certain not only to harm relations with his employers, but also with the players he will lead to the World Cup in Germany this summer.

The furore broke yesterday when the scandal erupted over five pages of the News of the World. Bearing an uncanny similarity to earlier faux pas by the Swedish coach, such as his clandestine meeting in 2004 with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, and his alleged agreement before that to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United, Eriksson - whose contract with the FA runs to 2008 - unwittingly revealed to the newspaper that he would be willing to leave after the World Cup.

"Everything is possible," Eriksson is reported to have told the undercover hack over crab cakes, lobster, vintage wine and champagne in the Burj al-Arab hotel. "But only at the end of the season," he added.

"After five and a half years, it's a long time to be England manager." Later, after apparently warming to the idea of being part of an Aston Villa revolution, he is alleged to have added: "Anyhow, if we win the World Cup, I will leave, goodbye."

Discussions continued the next day on board a 72-foot luxury yacht as it sailed along the Dubai coastline. "I have two more years with the FA and there I have 3 million net per year, plus bonuses," Eriksson told his suitors. The News of the World reported that he sought a contract as lucrative as Jose Mourinho's at Chelsea: around 5million a year. "I think Mourinho today is on five million net. I think he might be the highest paid. That's the area you have to think about."

The players' bonuses at Villa, added Eriksson, should be 200,000 to 300,000, with the manager to receive incentives "a little larger than that".

It was allegedly Eriksson himself who raised the possibility of the takeover of Aston Villa. "The chairman is an old man today," he told the reporter. "He's sick."

But more damaging than the rift these revelations might cause with his employers are Eriksson's comments about some of the key players in his England squad.

On Rio Ferdinand, Eriksson said: "He is lazy sometimes." Wayne Rooney, he admitted, "has a temper", perhaps on account of his "coming from a poor family". And David Beckham is "a bit frustrated at Real Madrid" and could be tempted to join an Eriksson-managed Aston Villa, while Michael Owen, suggested Eriksson, moved to Newcastle for the money. "They gave me a house, they gave me a car, it's incredible," Owen alleged told his national manager. "They had to do it because in any other way, he wouldn't have gone there," explained Eriksson.

Yesterday, the Swiss responded to the revelations by stressing that he remains "100 per cent committed" to England.

Through the FA website, Eriksson said: "I would like to assure everyone, especially the fans, that I'm 100 per cent committed to the England job. I've told the FA this... I have spoken with the players concerned today and I have been very pleased with their reaction and am confident my relationship with them has not been damaged in any way."

The FA did back the manager, after initially - perhaps tellingly - saying it would "reflect on the article in full before making any formal comment".

But later, the formal FA response and its backing of the manager did come: "Following reports in today's News of the World, the Football Association can confirm that England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson continues to have the full support of the organisation. This follows conversations between FA chief executive Brian Barwick and Sven, and subsequent conversations involving Brian with FA chairman Geoff Thompson, International Committee chairman Noel White and senior FA figures."

Still also offered a rational explanation for his client's meeting with the wealthy Arab. "It depends entirely on the World Cup - is there any surprise in that? Do you need to be a genius to understand that?"

Eriksson's agent went on to criticise the News of the World for "disgraceful entrapment", describing much of the report as "sheer fantasy" and adding that Eriksson was - uncharacteristically - "really angry" as a consequence.

He added that the meeting in Dubai had been approved. Having initially been approached about a consultancy role in a football academy, Still said that he "wrote to [FA director of development] Trevor Brooking saying we had an approach and we don't know much about it, we'd like to listen to what they're saying.''

Aston Villa, an unknowing participant in the drama, yesterday had little to say about "a hypothetical conversation between two independent parties and, as such, nothing to do with Aston Villa".

It is four days since Eriksson celebrated five years as England manager. He is the third longest-serving international manager in world football, but whether he makes it to six years - or even to Germany - must now be open to question.