Hanging in the balance?

Eriksson's fate could depend on Euro 2004 squad

LONDON (AP) -- Sven-Goran Eriksson names his latest Euro 2004 squad on Sunday knowing his judgment could decide not only England's fate but also his own.

Criticism of the former Lazio coach has increased since England's poor performances against Group 7 rivals Slovakia and Macedonia in October and an embarrassing 3-1 loss at home to Australia in a friendly in last month.

If next Saturday's visit to soccer minnow Liechtenstein doesn't produce a routine victory and England then loses to big group rival Turkey the following Wednesday, the team might be in grave danger of not qualifying for the finals in Portugal next year.

And that could spell the end of Eriksson's two years in charge.

As usual, Eriksson is hampered by injury problems with veteran 'keeper David Seaman and defender Sol Campbell very doubtful for both matches and another Arsenal star, leftback Ashley Cole already ruled out because of a hernia operation.

Although he played in Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday, Campbell is struggling with an Achilles tendon problem and faces a fitness test on the injury on Sunday when the Gunners are due to meet Everton in a Premier League game.

Seaman, who has a hamstring problem and is definitely out of that game, looks like also missing Arsenal's FA Cup quarterfinal replay with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

"If he doesn't play against Chelsea it's hard to imagine he'll be fit for at least the first England match," said Gunners manager Arsene Wenger. "I can't see him being able to play in that if he doesn't play at Stamford Bridge."

Eriksson appears to have discounted Seaman for both games.

"If you talk about goalkeepers at the moment, the available ones are (West Ham's David) James, (Leeds United's Paul) Robinson, and (Everton's Richard) Wright," the Swede said.

If Campbell is sidelined, Eriksson might recruit Chelsea's John Terry, the centerback who was cleared in August of being involved in a nightclub brawl in which a bouncer was hit by a bottle.

"John is playing better and better," Eriksson said. "Earlier this season he played very little for Chelsea because William Gallas and Desailly were playing very well and were difficult to move.

"Since then though, he has had his chance and he has done very well. I am very happy because I can see that he is getting stronger and stronger and now he is the captain. He is a good defender and he is improving his passing as well."

Injuries aside, Eriksson has to repair the confidence of a team which managed a shaky 2-1 win at Slovakia, could only tie 2-2 at home with modest Macedonia and then lost to the Australians, who are regarded as an emerging team.

Eriksson has become a target of an increasingly critical media and, while the fans so far have stood by the Swede, that could change if England loses at home to World Cup semifinalist Turkey at Sunderland's Stadium of Light and falls five points behind at the halfway stage of qualifying.

Turkey leads the standings with a maximum nine points from three games, England is second with four from two, Macedonia third with two from three. With Eriksson's men expected to beat Liechtenstein (one point from two games) in Vaduz, much depends on the game at Sunderland.

Only the group winners are certain of reaching the finals with the runners up going into the playoffs where England could conceivably run into the likes of Italy, the Netherlands or Sweden.

Although stars such as David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Paul Scholes appeared to be fit going into this weekend's Premier League games, Eriksson seems short of options up front.

Newspaper reports that former captain Alan Shearer might come out of retirement were discounted by the veteran Newcastle striker while Robbie Fowler, who moved in January from Leeds to Manchester City, seems to have lost his form.

That leaves Liverpool's Emile Heskey, Leeds' Alan Smith and Aston Villa's Darius Vassell the likely options to partner Owen.

 

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