Thaindian News

London, Oct.15 (ANI): Former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has denied that he is planning to lead North Korea into the 2010 World Cup finals.

Sky Sports quoted the current Notts County football director as saying earlier that he would be travelling to Asia to work out a loan deal for his services during the tournament in South Africa.

But he told Sky News: “No, I don’t have any offer, I have no plans to be manager or whatever it is for North Korea.”

He added that there had been “a lot of rumours” - including one that he would lead the Swedish team in the global competition - but said they were all untrue.

When asked by Sky if he could assure fans he planned to stay at Notts County, he replied: “Of course I can, absolutely.”

Rogue state North Korea has been at odds with the West over its nuclear programme and repeated missile tests, but its football players will be joining the world’s best teams next summer after qualifying for the tournament’s final stages for the first time since 1966 - when England won the cup.

The Swedish manager was rumored to have been offered the job as North Korea’s technical adviser.

The Guardian newspaper said Eriksson was set to fly to Beijing with Notts County executive chairman Peter Trembling.

Aside from the loan deal, Trembling was also expected to discuss Chinese business opportunities in Qadbak, the firm that owns County, the paper continued.

A source close to the deal did not deny that Eriksson’s stewardship of North Korea - the world’s 90th-ranked team - was under discussion, The Guardian added.

But The Times said the Swede, who also coached Mexico, told a close friend he had decided against taking on another national role.

The source was quoted in the paper as saying: “He has no plans to go out there. He was asked but he said no.” (ANI)