Eriksson unlikely to stay at Man. City

Sven-Goran Eriksson is unlikely to still be Manchester City manager next season, his agent said yesterday.

British media have speculated the former England coach would resign or be sacked after City's Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra said earlier this month he was unhappy with the Premier League club's recent form and wanted change.

Asked if the Swede would still be at the helm at the beginning of next season, Eriksson's agent Athole Still told Sky Sports News: "It's looking odds against.

"If Dr Shinawatra was going to give a ringing message of support I think we would have heard it."

Thaksin bought City last year, after being deposed as Thailand's prime minister in a military coup, and hired Eriksson. After a strong start to the season City have faded in recent months and are ninth in the table with two matches to play.

Still said Eriksson would not resign and that he was popular with fans after a decent first season in charge.

"The only thing I can say with some assurance is Sven-Goran Eriksson will not be walking," he said.

"You walk if you feel you've done a bad job and you are not worthy of the position. In Sven's case that is very, very far from the true situation."

Eriksson and Thaksin met for talks at the weekend which Still said had not gone too well.

"It's not looking good. Clearly there have not been the best of discussions between himself and Dr Shinawatra," he said.

He added Eriksson was unhappy Thaksin had aired his displeasure with the team's performance so publicly before discussing it with the Swede.

"Sven was very unhappy about that, in the sense that if there is dissatisfaction then it should be discussed internally first and not in the media," he said.

A City statement said Eriksson was taking the team for training as usual yesterday.