Eriksson could get North Korea World Cup job: media

Former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson is flying to Asia this week for final talks to take charge of North Korea for the 2010 World Cup, British media reported Wednesday.

The 61-year-old Swede, who twice led England in the tournament during his five years as national manager, was to meet North Korean soccer chiefs in Beijing, The Guardian said.

Eriksson, now Notts County football director, was to travel with the club’s executive chairman Peter Trembling, the daily said.

Trembling had already been involved in talks with intermediaries representing the Football Association of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea about loaning Eriksson.

“The process is now advanced enough for Trembling and Eriksson to be travelling to Beijing later this week on an eight-day trip,” The Guardian said.

North Korea’s embassy in London suggested an announcement could be made in “two or three weeks,” the paper added.

North Korea has qualified for the final stages for the first time since 1966, but has struggled to score goals.

Eriksson was seen as a candidate to take over Sweden, who are unlikely to qualify for South Africa, but his home federation were reportedly not interested.

Having endured 10 turbulent months as Mexico’s coach until April this year, he stunned the football world by joining lowly Notts County in the close season.

Now County are prepared to negotiate a deal, The Times of London said, describing the move as “bewildering”.

North Korea’s players are in France preparing for next year’s World Cup but could only manage a drab 0-0 with second division Nantes last week followed by another goalless draw on Tuesday night against a Congo side.

A total of just seven goals in eight qualifiers has earned criticism for coach Kim Jung-Hun and his team despite finishing second behind neighbours South Korea in Asian qualifying group two to secure a World Cup place for the first time since 1966.

A shock 1-0 victory over Italy at the 1966 tournament in England secured their place in World Cup folklore before they were eliminated 5-3 by Portugal in the quarter-finals, in what was the team’s last trip to Europe.

Football is the most popular sport in North Korea but Pyongyang’s leadership banned the national squad from travelling abroad after losing to arch-rivals Japan and South Korea in qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup.

The North returned to international football at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1999 but did not compete in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup in France or the 2002 edition in South Korea and Japan.

North Korea’s return to the World Cup finals comes amid grave international concern after Pyongyang test-fired several rockets and tested a nuclear bomb.