The topic of this week’s Big Shout in the FIFA 10 Podcast was whether or not Sven-Goran Eriksson has lost his marbles in going to lowly Notts County in League Two as director of football…

My feeling is that he is of sound mind and body and the man has simply found his level. Sven has made a modest ability to manage football teams go a long way and has finally been found out by the football community at large. That’s why he now has to ply his trade in the nether regions of English football.

No Premiership club came in for him and it would appear that his career as an international manager has gone cold. So what was he left with?

Sven’s been rumbled.

As England manager he repeatedly failed to deliver the goods. He succeeded in qualifying for tournaments but that was the very least he could do considering the salary he was on. What he was unable to do was get us further than the quarter-finals and given the talent at his disposal I found that staggering.

Whenever he needed to deliver it - when it mattered most - he failed.

Brazil were there for the taking in the 2002 World Cup but he put the team to sleep at half time. In the second half we crumbled. Penalties were once again our undoing against Portugal in 2004 and 2006, but we should never have been in that position. We led in 2004 and failed to consolidate our position by playing too deeply and inviting Portugal to attack. And in 2006 we witnessed the folly of playing Wayne Rooney as a lone striker. I’m convinced that it was his isolated role up front that led to his frustration and eventual red card.

The hallmark of Sven’s tenure as England manager is of squandered opportunities. If only we could have scored as frequently on the pitch as he did off of it!

And there’s another reason why Sven will be perfectly at home in Nottingham - there are five girls to every fella. Now that’s what I call a result!

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