I rejected international offers, reveals Eriksson

Sven-Goran Eriksson is still looking for a job in football but revealed he turned down opportunities to coach the national teams of Cameroon and Iraq.

The former Lazio, England, Manchester City and Leicester City coach, who is 70, told Sky Sports that he had “private reasons” for rejecting the approaches, opting instead to maintain an involvement with his local team while waiting for the right job offer to arrive.

Eriksson, whose managerial honours include a Serie A title with Lazio, and Coppa Italia triumphs with both Roma and Sampdoria, has not worked professionally as a coach since he was sacked by China League One side Shenzhen FC in January 2017.

“I said no thank you to the Iraq national team and no thank you to the Cameroon national team, Eriksson said.

Explaining the decisions, he added: “Different reasons but more like private reasons and they are two OK teams who I was rather keen, but at the end, no.

“If something comes up I will take it, I still want to work. In the meantime, I keep busy with the local team.”

Eriksson lives in Sweden and he shed light on the periods of inactivity that are common among international managers, saying: “In this job you don’t have plans and you don’t go to the office and ask for a job.

“You’re offered a job or not.”

Turning his attentions to this season’s Premier League, Eriksson backed City for a successful defence of their title but reiterated his support for Liverpool.

Eriksson guided City to a ninth-place finish in 2007-08 but first revealed his passion for Liverpool in 2010.

Only two City managers have a 100 per cent win record in the Manchester derby, Mel Machin and Sven-Goran Eriksson. pic.twitter.com/R5AaIA2RPJ

— City Watch (@City_Watch) September 6, 2016

He said: “I’ve always been a Liverpool fan. I can say that now, I couldn’t say that when I was in England but I was always since I was [young].

“My father as well, he is 90, still a Liverpool fan.

“But I still think City will win it.”