Former England coach targets Premier League within five
years
Says: 'This is the biggest football challenge of my life'
Sven-Goran
Eriksson has insisted he joined Notts County
for "the biggest football challenge in my life", not for money –
and plans to take the club all the way to the Premier League.
Eriksson, who has signed a five-year contract at Meadow Lane and
will work alongside current manager Ian McParland and former
England assistant Tord Grip, also revealed he would be moving to
live in the Nottingham area.
The Swede, who guided England to two World Cup quarter-finals in
2002 and 2006, said: "I always said I wanted to come back to the
Premier League. I chose a little bit of a difficult way to do it I
think. It will take a few years, but I think we will do it.
"I think it's the biggest football challenge of my life, trying
to take Notts County back to the Premier League, but that's the
target. The challenge is perhaps the most difficult football job
I've had so far. But I am looking forward to it."
Eriksson, who will be responsible for all aspects of developing
the club on the pitch, including training facilities, youth
development and transfer negotiations, admitted he was unsure about
the move at first.
"When my agent asked me if I would be interested in Notts County
I said I am not sure about that, but after listening to the people
and seeing the project that they had I said 'yes'.
"We have together to try to find good players if we want to
leave League Two. We have to have good football players. Without
good football players you can't reach the League One or the
Championship."
Despite being taken over by a Middle Eastern group, Munto
Finance, Eriksson said the club would continue to be sensible with
their money.
"When this news [of his appointment] came out my phone was hot
all the time. People all over the place are asking how much we can
pay for players. You can't pay Premier League salaries to players
in League Two. We all know that we have to be sensible.
"Players and a training ground are the key. If we don't have
players and a training ground life is very difficult for the
manager, almost impossible I would say."
Eriksson attempted to deflect questions he had joined the
unfancied League Two club for financial reasons, explaining he was
relishing the challenge of turning them into a top-flight club.
Asked why County fans should believe he would stay at the club
for the duration of his five-year deal, the Swede said: "I signed a
contract first of all. Secondly, if it was for the money I could
have easily gone elsewhere for much, much more money. I'm not here
for money, I am here for the challenge.
"I'm not here for the weather, or if the city is nice or not. If
that was the case then I could have gone to Italy. I'm here for the
big challenge and that's the truth."
He added: "Overall I'm here to deal with football matters and to
build the club and to try and reach the Premier League. We are
starting from almost the bottom and we will try to take it the
whole way. Hopefully we will do it one day."
Eriksson admitted he knew little of the players in the bottom
tier of the Football League, but said his high-profile status and
expertise would help lure players.
"Obviously I don't know the players. I don't know League Two at
all," he admitted. "But yes I know players, I know agents. Already
they have started phoning me from 4.30 this morning. I have had to
switch my phone off.
"If we expect to reach the Premier League then we have to have
an organisation that reflects a Premier League club."
Eriksson said he hoped his coaching career was not over.
"I hope not, I want to be in football for many, many years still
but you never know," he said. "I'm still hungry, I still love it.
This job is something a little bit new for me but why not try
it?"
McParland admitted Eriksson's arrival took him by surprise.
"When Peter [Trembling, County's executive chairman] told me I
said 'it's not April is it?'," said the Scot. "I had to pinch
myself a little bit. It's fantastic. He has a lot of knowledge of
the game, he's been at top clubs around the world and managed
England – though I won't hold that against him!
"But I'm sure he will bring a lot to the football club and we'll
bounce things off each other."
