Reports that Sven-Goran Eriksson is keen on replacing Glenn Roeder at Newcastle have been dismissed as “malicious” by his agent Athole Still.
Roeder was given a two-year contract at Newcastle in May after taking over as caretaker in February and taking them from the bottom half to an eventual seventh place finish and a place in this season’s Uefa Cup.
However, a series of poor results this season has seen his position at St James’s Park come into question.
Eriksson has been one of a number of out-of-work managers linked with the club, but Still has denied that there had been any contact between the two parties.
“It does not surprise me because he was also linked with West Ham,” said Still.
“Such is his stature that if there is a vacancy, he is going to be linked with a job. But I have spoken to Sven and he is not happy at the suggestion that he has ‘targeted’ Newcastle, which gives quite a different slant to the thing.
“To suggest he is looking at a club where there is another professional coach in situ, it is absolute rubbish to say that. He would never do that. It is one thing to say that a club is interested in him – and in this case, there has been no contact whatsoever – but to say he has targeted the job of another coach is absolutely unacceptable and is malicious.”
Eriksson has not worked since leaving his post as England coach after this summer’s World Cup finals.
“There have been lots of clubs interested, but somebody at his level has to wait for the right job,” said Still. “The right job will come, and I believe it will come sooner rather than later.”
