Eriksson set to quit if England fail to qualify

Swede denies Chelsea link but admits position could become untenable as he prepares to test options against Croatia tonight

England have been preparing for tonight's friendly with Croatia in the country's "bread basket" this week. This "other Essex", where Victoria plums, goose eggs and manure are sold at the garden gate, is a world away from the better-known urban one notorious for Ford Cortinas and blonde highlights. The bucolic setting has not, however, screened Sven Goran Eriksson from the harsh realities of his post.

Interrogated on his faithfulness in the wake of his untimely assignation with Roman Abramovich, the new owner of Chelsea, the England manager yesterday admitted his position would become untenable anyway should England fail to qualify for Euro 2004. "None of you would want me, so any move would be easy," he said.

Asked to clarify this comment, he said it was "half joke, half-true, but more true than joke". Gesturing to the assembled newspaper correspondents, he added: "You will be very important - but let's not talk about not qualifying. Let's be positive."

Eriksson is under contract until 2006 and should he and the Football Association stand firm he could theoretically survive missing out on the championships. However, as Graham Taylor, Kevin Keegan and Glenn Hoddle found out before him, once the media have turned, en masse, against an England manager it is simply a matter of time.

Should that happen Eriksson insisted he did not have a bolthole ready for him at Stamford Bridge. Abramovich, he said, had not asked him to take over at Chelsea either in the summer or at some theoretical time in the future. The meeting had simply been one of "friends" and he had no reason to be "embarrassed" when it became public. Eriksson added that he had since spoken to Claudio Ranieri, the incumbent Chelsea manager, but had not said anything about the issue as "there was nothing to say". He was sorry he was always linked with jobs, in England, Spain and Italy, but also "honoured".

Eriksson added: "The meeting should not be a problem to anyone. It was to have a cup of tea with a friend, not to discuss a contract with a club. I have been many times to the house of David Dein [Arsenal and FA vice-chairman]. I hope I am not supposed to be the next Arsenal manager. Of course we talk football. If I talk to Arsène [Wenger] or [Alex] Ferguson we talk football. We don't talk about the weather or cars."

Cars must have been a topic at a previous meeting with Abramovich because Eriksson added, intriguingly, that he was surprised the Russian bought Chelsea but he had previously spoken of investing either in a football club or a Formula 1 team.

Eventually conversation turned to tonight's friendly at Portman Road. For Eriksson it is a useful warm-up ahead of next month's European Championship qualifier in Macedonia but for John Terry it will be far more significant. In the wake of withdrawals by Sol Campbell and Jonathan Woodgate the Chelsea defender will make his first start in an England shirt. While Eriksson yesterday insisted Gareth Southgate had not been discarded for good there would appear to be a a vacant place for a defensive understudy on offer for Terry.

"He has improved very much in the last year," Eriksson said. "He is more mature, quicker, and plays more regularly. He is a big talent."

The main selection issues for Eriksson are who should partner Michael Owen and who should fill the left-flank role. Assuming his injury concern is healed, Emile Heskey is likely to get the nod in attack though James Beattie can expect at least 30 minutes. Kieron Dyer could be given another shot at the latter position.

This would be harsh on Frank Lampard, whose International performances have grown in stature, but he lacks Dyer's explosiveness on the flank. Playing Lampard in the centre would mean disturbing the Stephen Gerrard-Paul Scholes axis which remains England's best central combination.

There is also a doubt over Danny Mills at right-back, especially as he has been sidelined by Peter Reid at Leeds. Eriksson admitted he would be unable to pick Mills if he continued to be frozen out at club level but this team was being selected on the strength of past performances for England. In an assessment not every observer would agree with, Eriksson added: "He did well for us in the World Cup and he can't have become that bad in one year."

David James will start in goal but will be replaced, probably by Paul Robinson, at half-time. There will be other substitutions but Eriksson promised he not make wholesale changes at the break but would filter players in during the second period. England should win but for Eriksson, and the watching club managers, avoidance of injury is less important than the result.