CHAMPIONSHIP - ERIKSSON LEAVES LEICESTER POST

SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON

 

Several newspapers and TV stations claimed that the Foxes' big-spending Thai owners dispensed with the former England manager after a crisis meeting, and the club later confirmed the news in a statement, using the phrase "mutual agreement" as opposed to referring to it as a sacking.

Saturday’s loss left the club 13th in the standings but only two points behind the play-off places and five behind second-placed Middlesbrough.

A win would have put them fourth, although they have only won two of their last seven matches.

First team coach Derek Fazackerley has also left the club meaning that academy director Jon Rudkin and coach Mike Stowell will jointly assume the role of acting manager of the first team.

Rumours have linked former boss Martin O’Neill with a return to the club he left for Celtic in 2000.

The Irishman has been without work since leaving Aston Villa at the start of last season.

"The process of recruiting a new permanent manager will begin in the coming days. There will be no further comments from the club or any comment on the recruitment process until an appointment is made," said Leicester's official statement.

Eriksson, 63, is best-known for spells in charge of England, Lazio, Roma, Sampdoria and Manchester City.

He has also managed clubs in Portugal and his native Sweden, and coached the Mexico and Ivory Coast national teams.

Eriksson's last two spells in English football also ended acrimoniously.

He was controversially sacked by Manchester City in 2008 - also then owned by a Thai, Thaksin Shinawatra - after leading them to eighth position in the Premier League.

In 2009 the Swede took on an ill-fated, brief role as Notts County director of football, a job he quit once it became apparent that the funding did not exist for an ambitious project to take the club from League Two to the top flight.