Eriksson becomes City slicker

Updated 16.33 Fri Jul 06 2007

Keywords: Manchester City, Thaksin Shinawatra, Sven Goran Eriksson, England, Premier League, football, sport

Former England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is back in football management after putting pen to paper to a three-year contract with Manchester City.

The 59-year-old Swede, who has been out of work since the curtain fell on his five-and-a-half-year stint as England boss last summer, will kick off his reign in the Premier League at West Ham United.

"Manchester City is a big, big football club. It is the Premier League - I think it is the best league in the world and if you get an opportunity to work in it you should take it and I did" - Sven-Goran Eriksson

His long-awaited appointment was confirmed after former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra completed his takeover of the City of Manchester Stadium club.

And Eriksson, who is set to be handed a sizeable transfer kitty by Thaksin, said: "I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have been asked to be Manchester City's manager

"This is an exciting challenge and I have already started making preparations for the new season. I want to deliver a team that our fantastic fans can be proud of."

Eriksson has revealed that the lure of managing in the Premier League had proved too great, having rejected other offers since leaving his role as coach of England national side.

He added: "Manchester City is a big, big football club. It is the Premier League - I think it is the best league in the world and if you get an opportunity to work in it you should take it and I did.

"I had some offers in the past - one year out of football some offers were bound to come in - but I am happy I didn't accept them.

"I couldn't care less if I was second, third of fourth choice (to be City's manager), I am here and the job is mine."

And Eriksson has insisted that he does not feel under any additional pressure despite the torrid time he had been given during his England reign.

He added: "I have never worked in the Premier League before so I don't know if I have to prove or not.

"I know what I have done in the past and I am looking forward to an exciting job and an exciting season.

"I don't think I will change (his attitude) a lot. A lot has been written about me - some fair, other maybe not fair but I will not read all of it.

"I am here trying to do a good job for Manchester City and I hope I will be judged on that positively - or negatively if things are not going quite so well."