http://tinyurl.com/568f77

Thaksin Shinawatra has offered Luiz Felipe Scolari £3.25m a year to 
manage Manchester City and, in a move which has echoes of the Football 
Association's approach to the Brazilian ahead of the 2006 World Cup, he 
wants an answer before Scolari leads Portugal into the European 
Championship next month.

The approach to Scolari came, via a Brazilian agent, from Srisumrid Jack 
Taweesuk, City's executive director, whose attempts to lure the Portugal 
national manager are understood to have included a promise that money 
will be available to Scolari to buy "the players that he wants".

Though some in Portugal doubt the 59-year-old's willingness to trade his 
immense personal following in the country for Sven Goran Eriksson's job 
in Manchester, the sums of money on offer do seem to be attractive to 
him. The noises from Portugal last week were that Scolari was reluctant 
to remove his two sons, Fabricio and Leonardo, from further education in 
Lisbon and that the proximity of Spain's La Liga was therefore more of 
an attraction to him. But there was a suggestion from sources close to 
Scolari yesterday that Leonardo, his eldest son and a law student, could 
benefit from studying in Britain. Fabricio, it is thought, would stay 
with Scolari's wife in Lisbon if he took the job.

Taweesuk, the power-broker at Eastlands in Thaksin's absence and the 
director who last month entertained Ronaldinho's brother and agent, 
Roberto de Assis, at Eastlands, is understood to have offered Scolari a 
sum of just over €330,000 (£260,000) a month.

City need a quick decision to prevent the kind of rapid last-minute 
buying which characterised Eriksson's late arrival last summer. But it 
was not clear yesterday whether Scolari is ready to commit himself to 
Eastlands before Euro 2008. "He is in Lisbon preparing for the [Euro 
2008] tournament. He has never accepted such offers before a 
tournament," one source close to the Brazilian said yesterday.

Thaksin clearly believes that his offer – £1m a year more than Eriksson 
is currently being paid and a salary which takes him near to the salary 
bracket of Sir Alex Ferguson – can secure Scolari's services but City's 
Thai contingent may have their work cut out persuading Scolari to join 
them after the peremptory way in which Eriksson is being pushed aside, 
despite lifting City to their best Premier League finish.

Scolari also faces an indignant Manchester public, whatever funds 
Thaksin manages to muster – with a large percentage of his riches likely 
to be frozen in Thailand until after the summer. Eriksson has resisted 
any inclination to discuss a predicament which might mean him leading 
City on their forthcoming tour of Thailand and China while Scolari makes 
up his mind about the job. But a show of support for him by City fans at 
Anfield on Sunday certainly seem to have had an impact. "I don't get 
tired of hearing my name," Eriksson said. "The fans' backing made me 
emotional. It raised the hairs on the backs of my hand and made me 
freeze. I thank them all. I don't think I have ever felt so popular 
without winning anything but I have felt their warmth since I arrived at 
the club. They were magnificent."

The latest round of machinations at City have created a remarkable new 
chapter in the intertwining careers of Eriksson and his old nemesis 
Scolari. The managers both have homes in the affluent Lisbon district of 
Cascais. Despite eliminating Eriksson's England sides from the 2002 and 
2006 World Cups, with his Brazilian and Portugal sides respectively, it 
was Scolari who offered words of support for Eriksson after the 2002 
semi-final. "He proves managers are still crucial to getting the best 
out of players," Scolari said.

Scolari's aversion to the British media – the reason he gave for not 
taking the England job – could lead him to think twice now. A manager 
more motivated by money than most, he would also need a substantial pay 
package. On top of his estimated current £2.7m salary – £1.5m of which 
is paid by the Portuguese Football Federation, the rest by a series of 
major corporate sponsorships – he travels to Africa and South America 
for seminars and speaking engagements which are also lucrative. The 
international football scene allows him time for those engagements and 
City's Thai owners will be left under no illusion about their need to 
make good the loss of that income stream.

City are unwilling to discuss Eriksson's situation ahead of Saturday's 
last Premier League game at Middlesbrough, other than to say that 
Thaksin – as owner of the club – is "in contact" with City.
-- 
"I first diagnosed symptomless coma
  three years ago, and since then the number
  of cases has been steadily increasing."

Interesting.

Wasn't one of the problems with Fat Phil that he couldn't speak English? 
How's that going to work then?

I would really struggle to support Scolari. I just don't like the guy.

I'm concered that whilst  he's had experience as a national manager, his 
club club jobs have only been in Brazil, Japan and Kuwait.  I think 
he'll get a bit of a shock managing an English club, even if it does 
have a cosmopolitan squad.
We'll have to wait and see, but i'm not confident.
-- 
"I first diagnosed symptomless coma
  three years ago, and since then the number
  of cases has been steadily increasing."

I was going to post this link as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luiz_Felipe_Scolari
-- 
"I first diagnosed symptomless coma
  three years ago, and since then the number
  of cases has been steadily increasing."

"madMental"  wrote in message 
news:fvsi4h$34o$2@news.datemas.de...
>I was going to post this link as well.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luiz_Felipe_Scolari

Bloody hell, that page has already been updated to note the interest from 
City. Wikipedia never ceases to amaze me. I think you're dead right about 
club and national football, it's a whole different ball game. A lot of the 
important stuff, such as negotiating player contracts and signing new 
players, simply doesn't exist at the national level. I wonder if Fwank's 
twigged to that?

Here's an interesting quote "he usually demands a lot more freedom than most 
coaches are allowed and is bent on exerting a somewhat discretionary power." 
How's that going to work with an interfering owner?

BTW, when I say "interfering", I am referring to football matters. I'm not 
making any sexual suggestions.

Ditto here Chas.

Jim




"Chas"  wrote in message 
news:37udnT2J66jy8rzVnZ2dnUVZ8tuqnZ2d@plusnet...
> Interesting.
>
> Wasn't one of the problems with Fat Phil that he couldn't speak English? 
> How's that going to work then?
>
> I would really struggle to support Scolari. I just don't like the guy.
>

Shinawatra could be naively thinking that because Scolari got the better 
of Sven in their contests between England and Brazil/Portugal he must be 
a better coach than him.
-- 
"I first diagnosed symptomless coma
  three years ago, and since then the number
  of cases has been steadily increasing."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7387397.stm


Thaksin leaves Eriksson in limbo



Thaksin Shinawatra has thrown Manchester City into further confusion by 
saying he has not made a decision about Sven-Goran Eriksson's future.

BBC Sport understands Eriksson has been told he will be sacked at the 
end of the season and Luiz Felipe Scolari has been approached as a 
replacement.

But City owner Thaksin claimed: "We have made no decision. We will do an 
evaluation at the end of the season."

Portugal coach Scolari is expected to decide his future after Euro 2008.

"Any club who has any interest in Scolari is completely free to contact 
the coach," Scolari spokesman Acaz Fellegger told Portuguese newspaper 
Record.

	

"But the truth is that there has been no approach and Scolari has 
repeatedly stated that his future will only be decided after the Euro 
tournament."

Thaksin, speaking at a golf tournament in Beijing, would not be drawn on 
whether the club was interested in the Portugal coach, or former Chelsea 
manager Jose Mourinho, who has also been linked with the City post.

"They all - Sven, Scolari, Mourinho - they are great coaches, great 
managers," he said.

However, he did admit that he had told Eriksson he was unhappy with 
City's dip in form which saw them fall out of contention for European 
football.

"During the season, we may complain for improvement but that's normal 
for every club," said the former Thai prime minister.

"But we will discuss at the end of the season what needs to be changed, 
what needs to be added to the success of the club."

Despite Thaksin's claims to the contrary, a source close to Eriksson has 
told BBC Sport that the former England coach will be sacked at the end 
of the season.

And BBC Sport also understands that contact has already been made 
between City and Scolari's representatives in a bid to bring him to 
Eastlands, with a deal worth a reported £3.2m-a-year ready to be 
rubber-stamped.

Scolari, 59, is believed to be interested in succeeding Eriksson - but 
wants to wait until after Euro 2008 before making a decision.

Scolari has also previously been reluctant to uproot his family from 
Portugal and cited intrusion into his private life as one of the reasons 
he rejected the chance to succeed Eriksson as England coach in 2006.

Thaksin, on the other hand, is thought to want a swift answer from Scolari.

City fans have reacted angrily to Eriksson's imminent departure and 
Thaksin hopes to head off further unrest with a quick announcement that 
he has captured the man who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.

Despite his treatment at the hands of Shinawatra, Eriksson is willing to 
lead City on their post-season tour of Thailand and Hong Kong next week, 
a source close to the Swede has told BBC Sport.

The source said it was "business as usual" for Eriksson and his coaching 
team and that no further talks were planned with Shinawatra before the 
end of the season.

If City fail to land Scolari, they are likely to turn their attention to 
Slaven Bilic, even though he signed a new contract with Croatia last week.


-- 
"I first diagnosed symptomless coma
  three years ago, and since then the number
  of cases has been steadily increasing."

Judas Priest, this is panning out like a really bad episode of The 
Apprentice. "We may complain for improvement but that's normal for every 
club" - he’s back peddling faster than Gordon Brown after a 10p tax mauling. 
Presumably Fwank’s just found out what everyone else in the world already 
new, that no manager will accept the double whammy of being sacked after you 
meet your targets + owner interference in football matters.  Perhaps we’ll 
get to keep Sven after all? To avoid being left with curried noodles all 
over his face, no doubt Fwank will claim that he’s always been one to listen 
to what the fans are singing.

Eriksson holds talks with Benfica

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7387397.stm

Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has held talks with 
Portuguese club Benfica, BBC Sport understands.

The City boss, whose job is under threat from club owner Thaksin 
Shinawatra, has twice previously managed the Lisbon club.

BBC Sport understands Eriksson has been told he will be sacked at the 
end of the season and Luiz Felipe Scolari has been approached as a 
replacement.

Thaksin has claimed Eriksson's future as City boss is yet be resolved.

"We have made no decision," said the former Thai prime minister. "We 
will do an evaluation at the end of the season."

The Swedish coach's agent Athole Still was unavailable for comment late 
on Wednesday.

Benfica spokesman Ricardo Maia said: "Whether someone is or is not in 
Manchester to try to persuade Eriksson, we have nothing to say about it."

BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent Jonathan Legard added: 
"Eriksson's current boss may have refused to confirm or deny whether he 
was about to be sacked, but his meeting in Manchester, captured by 
Portuguese television, clearly shows what he believes is about to happen.

"The move for Scolari despite the denials by his agent, indicate 
Eriksson's imminent departure. I understand however, that Eriksson won't 
be rushed on a decision about a return to Benfica."

Thaksin Shinawatra will wait until the end of the season to make a decision

Eriksson has coached Benfica twice, leading the Lisbon club to two 
championships and a domestic cup in the early 1980s.

He then went to Italy but returned to Benfica in 1989, taking the club 
to the 1990 European Cup final, a game they lost to AC Milan, before 
winning the Portuguese title in 1991.

Benfica risk missing out on a Champions League spot for next season 
after a disappointing season.

They are fourth in the SuperLiga, three points behind rivals Sporting 
Lisbon.

Thaksin, speaking at a golf tournament in Beijing, would not be drawn on 
whether the club was interested in the Portugal coach, or former Chelsea 
manager Jose Mourinho, who has also been linked with the City post.

"They all - Sven, Scolari, Mourinho - they are great coaches, great 
managers," he said.

However, he did admit that he had told Eriksson he was unhappy with 
City's dip in form which saw them fall out of contention for European 
football.

"During the season, we may complain for improvement but that's normal 
for every club," said the former Thai prime minister.

"But we will discuss at the end of the season what needs to be changed, 
what needs to be added to the success of the club."

Despite Thaksin's claims to the contrary, a source close to Eriksson has 
told BBC Sport last week that the former England coach will be sacked at 
the end of the season.

And BBC Sport also understands that contact has already been made 
between City and Scolari's representatives in a bid to bring him to 
Eastlands, with a deal worth a reported £3.2m-a-year ready to be 
rubber-stamped.

Scolari, 59, is believed to be interested in succeeding Eriksson - but 
wants to wait until after Euro 2008 before making a decision.

Scolari has also previously been reluctant to uproot his family from 
Portugal and cited intrusion into his private life as one of the reasons 
he rejected the chance to succeed Eriksson as England coach in 2006.

Thaksin, on the other hand, is thought to want a swift answer from Scolari.

City fans have reacted angrily to Eriksson's imminent departure and 
Thaksin hopes to head off further unrest with a quick announcement that 
he has captured the man who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.

Despite his treatment at the hands of Shinawatra, Eriksson is willing to 
lead City on their post-season tour of Thailand and Hong Kong next week, 
a source close to the Swede has told BBC Sport.

The source said it was "business as usual" for Eriksson and his coaching 
team and that no further talks were planned with Shinawatra before the 
end of the season.

If City fail to land Scolari, they are likely to turn their attention to 
Slaven Bilic, even though he signed a new contract with Croatia last week.
-- 
"I first diagnosed symptomless coma
  three years ago, and since then the number
  of cases has been steadily increasing."

So that's that then.

What a brilliant summer we are going to have.

There again.........

Much like any other summer really.... 
discontent,uncertainty,mystery,worry,deflecting red jibes,ridicule, and 
hopefully..............Anticipation with a week of the season to start.

It could only be City couldn't it ?

Jim




"madMental"  wrote in message 
news:fvuh6p$ilg$1@news.datemas.de...
>  Eriksson holds talks with Benfica
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7387397.stm
>
> Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has held talks with Portuguese 
> club Benfica, BBC Sport understands.
>
> The City boss, whose job is under threat from club owner Thaksin 
> Shinawatra, has twice previously managed the Lisbon club.
>
> BBC Sport understands Eriksson has been told he will be sacked at the end 
> of the season and Luiz Felipe Scolari has been approached as a 
> replacement.
>
> Thaksin has claimed Eriksson's future as City boss is yet be resolved.
>
> "We have made no decision," said the former Thai prime minister. "We will 
> do an evaluation at the end of the season."
>
> The Swedish coach's agent Athole Still was unavailable for comment late on 
> Wednesday.
>
> Benfica spokesman Ricardo Maia said: "Whether someone is or is not in 
> Manchester to try to persuade Eriksson, we have nothing to say about it."
>
> BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent Jonathan Legard added: "Eriksson's 
> current boss may have refused to confirm or deny whether he was about to 
> be sacked, but his meeting in Manchester, captured by Portuguese 
> television, clearly shows what he believes is about to happen.
>
> "The move for Scolari despite the denials by his agent, indicate 
> Eriksson's imminent departure. I understand however, that Eriksson won't 
> be rushed on a decision about a return to Benfica."
>
> Thaksin Shinawatra will wait until the end of the season to make a 
> decision
>
> Eriksson has coached Benfica twice, leading the Lisbon club to two 
> championships and a domestic cup in the early 1980s.
>
> He then went to Italy but returned to Benfica in 1989, taking the club to 
> the 1990 European Cup final, a game they lost to AC Milan, before winning 
> the Portuguese title in 1991.
>
> Benfica risk missing out on a Champions League spot for next season after 
> a disappointing season.
>
> They are fourth in the SuperLiga, three points behind rivals Sporting 
> Lisbon.
>
> Thaksin, speaking at a golf tournament in Beijing, would not be drawn on 
> whether the club was interested in the Portugal coach, or former Chelsea 
> manager Jose Mourinho, who has also been linked with the City post.
>
> "They all - Sven, Scolari, Mourinho - they are great coaches, great 
> managers," he said.
>
> However, he did admit that he had told Eriksson he was unhappy with City's 
> dip in form which saw them fall out of contention for European football.
>
> "During the season, we may complain for improvement but that's normal for 
> every club," said the former Thai prime minister.
>
> "But we will discuss at the end of the season what needs to be changed, 
> what needs to be added to the success of the club."
>
> Despite Thaksin's claims to the contrary, a source close to Eriksson has 
> told BBC Sport last week that the former England coach will be sacked at 
> the end of the season.
>
> And BBC Sport also understands that contact has already been made between 
> City and Scolari's representatives in a bid to bring him to Eastlands, 
> with a deal worth a reported £3.2m-a-year ready to be rubber-stamped.
>
> Scolari, 59, is believed to be interested in succeeding Eriksson - but 
> wants to wait until after Euro 2008 before making a decision.
>
> Scolari has also previously been reluctant to uproot his family from 
> Portugal and cited intrusion into his private life as one of the reasons 
> he rejected the chance to succeed Eriksson as England coach in 2006.
>
> Thaksin, on the other hand, is thought to want a swift answer from 
> Scolari.
>
> City fans have reacted angrily to Eriksson's imminent departure and 
> Thaksin hopes to head off further unrest with a quick announcement that he 
> has captured the man who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.
>
> Despite his treatment at the hands of Shinawatra, Eriksson is willing to 
> lead City on their post-season tour of Thailand and Hong Kong next week, a 
> source close to the Swede has told BBC Sport.
>
> The source said it was "business as usual" for Eriksson and his coaching 
> team and that no further talks were planned with Shinawatra before the end 
> of the season.
>
> If City fail to land Scolari, they are likely to turn their attention to 
> Slaven Bilic, even though he signed a new contract with Croatia last week.
> -- 
> "I first diagnosed symptomless coma
>  three years ago, and since then the number
>  of cases has been steadily increasing."