SVG Writes Off England 2014

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Sven-Goran Eriksson has written off England's chances of winning the World Cup next summer.

The 65-year-old Swede, now coach of Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F, led England to the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006.

He told BBC Radio 5 live: "I don't believe they can win the World Cup in Brazil. Maybe in Russia in 2018. There are a lot of young players coming in.

"I think it's easier to win it there than in Brazil."

Roy Hodgson's side secured qualification for Brazil by winning their group but only find themselves in the second pot of seeds for the 6 December draw for next summer's tournament.

They will have to make history if they are to repeat their solitary World Cup win of 1966, as no European side have won the competition in South America.

FA chairman Greg Dyke has also played down England's hopes next year and targeted success in the 2022 World Cup.

Eriksson believes another run to the last eight, matching his own best with England, would not represent failure for Hodgson, whose predecessor Fabio Capello saw his team beaten by Germany in the second round in 2010.

He added: "Expectation does not seem to be what it was in the past and I think that's very good for the team.

"The quarter-finals would be very good. It is time for a semi-final or final."

However, Eriksson believes a winter break in English football is needed for success.

"It's not that difficult. Take one week in January and give the players a week off, then take them in and prepare for the game after," he said.

"I think everyone agrees if you take a break it will be very good for England.

"Is that the main thing holding England back? For sure, it's one thing, maybe the easiest thing. I know players would love it and they would feel better for the rest of the season."

Meanwhile, Eriksson has defended his former England captain David Beckham's professionalism following recent criticism from ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson over the player's celebrity lifestyle.

Writing in his latest autobiography, the Scot remarked that Beckham was the "only player I managed who chose to be famous".

Eriksson added: "David Beckham, for me, every time he came to England camps he was an extremely professional football player. You asked yourself 'how could he handle it?' Wherever we went it was chaos.

"I think players were very much all right with that; it took the pressure off them. He was very professional then and he has been all his life.

"He was very good all the time he was captain."

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Eriksson Signed United Contract

Sven-Goran Eriksson says he signed a contract in 2002 to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Ferguson retired this summer after 26 years in charge at Old Trafford but had announced his intention to stand down in 2002 before reversing the decision.

"A contract was signed - I was United's new manager," said then England boss Eriksson in a new autobiography.

"We haven't read the book so we are unable to comment," the club's director of communications Phil Townsend said.

Swede Eriksson, 65, was in charge of England from 2001 to 2006 and later became boss of United's neighbours Manchester City.

His book has been serialised by the Mail on Sunday and in it he claims he was approached by the club to replace the Scot and accepted a deal.

He said: "I knew it would be tricky. I had a contract with England until the 2006 World Cup and I would be severely criticised if I broke that contract.

"But this was an opportunity to manage Manchester United."

Ferguson spoke about the possibility of Eriksson replacing him at Old Trafford in his own latest autobiography, saying he suspected United had lined up the Swede.

"The head-hunters were due to meet a candidate to succeed me the following week," wrote Ferguson.

"Sven-Goran Eriksson was to be the new United manager, I believe. That was my interpretation, anyway,"

Eriksson, currently manager of Chinese side Guangzhou R&F, also alleges Ferguson tried to stop him taking Wayne Rooney to Germany in 2006 after the striker had broken a bone in his foot against Chelsea towards the end of the Premier League season.

There was a difference of opinion between United's medical staff and England doctor Leif Sward.

Eriksson says in the extract: "Leif and I met Ferguson and United's doctor at the United training ground. 'He cannot play in the World Cup', Ferguson said flatly.

"The doctor brought out some X-rays that he said showed Rooney's broken bone would not heal in time.

"Leif was one of Europe's foremost specialists on this kind of injury. I just wish I could have filmed Ferguson's face when Leif explained that Wayne's break would heal in time for the World Cup.

"When Leif had finished, I turned to Ferguson. 'Sorry, Alex,' I said. 'I will pick Rooney'.

In response, Townsend told BBC Sport: "On the question of Rooney, we put a statement out at the time and our position was well documented."

United said, following a scan on 7 June 2006, they thought the striker would not be ready to play until after the group stage of the World Cup.

Independent medical experts, professors Angus Wallace and Chris Moran, believed Rooney would be fit for the third group game against Sweden on 20 June.

Rooney ended up playing in the second game against Trinidad and Tobago on 15 June, a decision the club were unhappy with at the time.

The United striker had a disappointing tournament, failing to score, and getting sent off for standing on Ricardo Carvalho in the quarter-final against Portugal, which England lost on penalties.

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Eriksson Sacked From Leicester Post

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been sacked as boss of Leicester City, BBC Sport understands.

The 63-year-old has overseen an inconsistent start to the season after having spent heavily in the summer.

The Foxes have won five of their 13 league games this term and were beaten 3-0 at home by Millwall on Saturday.

BBC Radio Leicester reports that Eriksson gave no comment as he left the club's Belvoir Drive training ground on Monday evening.

Club owner Vichai Raksriaksorn also declined to comment.

"The last straw was the 3-0 home defeat to Millwall on Saturday. It was a rather poor performance. They've been inconsistent. The owners have got very very high aspirations, and in the last year since Eriksson joined they've spent over £20m. They're not too impressed with Eriksson's stewardship. They feel he lacks practical experience at this level, despite his eminent experience with England."

City were taken over by Thai-based consortium Asia Football Investments in August 2010 and appointed ex-Manchester City manager Eriksson in October.

At the time, the club were bottom of the Championship but Eriksson, who was able to recruit the likes of defender Kyle Naughton and striker Yakubu on loan from Tottenham and Everton, led them to a 10th-place finish after winning 17 of 36 matches.

During the summer, the Swede recruited a number of high-profile players, backed by the financial clout of the club's owners.

These included Matt Mills from Reading for £5m, fellow defender Sean St Ledger from Preston, striker David Nugent and midfielder Neil Danns on free transfers and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for an undisclosed fee from Leeds.

However, despite being viewed as one of the favourites for promotion Leicester have struggled for form, amassing just 19 points from 13 matches.

They have lost three of their four games at the King Power Stadium this season, the latest being Saturday's 3-0 defeat by struggling Millwall, which was Eriksson's 24th and final loss of his 55-match City reign.

Martin O'Neill, who successfully managed Leicester from 1995-2000, leading them into the Premier League and to two League Cup successes in 1997 and 2000, has been installed as an early favourite to succeed Eriksson.

As a result of his pedigree, Eriksson's appointment was seen as a major coup for City.

After early managerial success in his native Sweden, Eriksson went on to win trophies with Benfica in Portugal and Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio in Italy.

It was this that brought him to the attention of the Football Association, who appointed him as England manager as replacement for Kevin Keegan.

"I did say when he took over I was certainly not convinced. A scattergun approach to purchases last year and no real direction to the club. They've spent a fortune this year, and clearly the return's not there. The owners are very impatient, and they wanted to go up last year. It's not a massive surprise."

He led the national side to three successive quarter-finals at major championships before leaving the post after the latter of these, the 2006 World Cup.

In July 2007, he took charge of Manchester City - then owned by former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - and spent heavily before leading them to a ninth-place Premier League finish, but he left the club by "mutual consent" in the summer of 2008.

Following a 10-month stint as coach of the Mexico national side, Eriksson then had a seven-month spell as Notts County director of football before managing the Ivory Coast at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Less than three months later, he became Leicester's seventh boss since 2007.