Is Thaksin right to sack Sven-Goran Eriksson?

Sven-Goran Eriksson looks to be on his way to the exit door at Manchester City. His boss and club owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, is thought to have run out of patience with the side's post-Christmas slump.

But City enjoyed a tremendous start to the season - at one stage sitting third in the Premier League - and have never once looked in danger of relegation. Indeed, European qualification is still an outside possibility.

The Swedish manager can expect a tidy pay-off in the region of £2.5 million, but is this the best option for the club? Has Sven been given enough time to turn the team around? Is Thaksin proving too trigger-happy?

Vote with your fingers below and let us know your thoughts on the soap opera that has become known as Manchester City Football Club.

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Comments

[Geoff Stringer]

If City had started at the bottom of the table, and worked there way up to where they are now, Thaksin would have been happy.
But as they started at the top, and are still in the top half, and doing better than they have for a long time, Thaksin should realise this, and let Sven, get on with it.
Thaksin has to learn. Unfortunately, sacking Sven will be, "the hard way".

[leigh vernier]

Answer? Simple. Sack Taksin. Keep Sven. End of prob. If fans, players all now withdraw labour the result won't be a 'Thai'...

[Tony]

There are two indisputable facts concerning the Thai's move to give Sven the Order of the Boot.
1. He is totally within his rights.
2. Football-wise, he's barking mad.

[Faithy]

Without transparency on what a club has spent on transfers and salaries how can we put a managers performance in perspective?

Sven could have spent a fortune for all we know.

The fans deserve more transparency on what their club spends their money on

[Tim]

So should we have sympathy for the Man City fans who conveniently defended Thaksin's human rights record in Thailand, just because they wanted to have a better football club to support? I think not!

[njau gatoho]

something tells me we already know one of the teams to be relegated next season, even before the last two this seasons. Football chairmen + foreign owners, bad mix

[Tom Leeburn]

Absolutely crazy. City have had done very well considering injuries to key players (Bojinov, Richards & Johnson), their small squad and lack of decent strikers.

[kev]

sven took over at the end of july,quickly assembled a team that has never been out of the top half of the table,at times played some of the best footy seen at city for many a year,gave us petrov and elano,increased the crowds,did the double on the rags,was central in the all round feel good factor. disaster!
be afraid,be very afraid

[kev]

sven took over at the end of july,quickly assembled a team that has never been out of the top half of the table,at times played some of the best footy seen at city for many a year,gave us petrov and elano,increased the crowds,did the double on the rags,was central in the all round feel good factor. disaster!
be afraid,be very afraid

[V. Iking]

Thats what you can expect when you let 'foreigners ' buy into your English clubs......just look at those Yanks at Liverpool (theyre a joke)....its a business, they just dont understand !

[Barry Kelly]

Not surprised in the slightest. I spent the last 10 years in Thailand during the Taskin era. The man made his money based on a monolopy in mobile phones when growth was highest and got out when cometition started to prove he was not up to task. His role as priminister was a disgrace with regards to human rights.

I told all my mates who are blues he would be trouble but they all just said his money would be nice. Well lets see what they feel now. Say what you want about the Glazers but they have been angels compared to this nonsense.

But as a red in my heart I think this is hilarious - more years of suffering for the bitter blues - sorry

[Peter]

Dispensing with Sven is the right way to empty the stadium, unless he brings in the 'special one'.

[A Syed]

Thanks Sven for doing the double against Man U and losing 8-0 against Chelsea in the 2 fixtures in the Premiership. Awesome!

[Joshikins]

just shows the problem with today's owners... you need to think more long term than simply what has happened over a couple of months! he's done some amazing work at man city, and they've made some amazing strides! they were dangling above relegation not too long ago and look at them now! just a stupid decision really by TS

[Northernapeth]

So, let's recap. A season spent until early January in the top four. Never below 9th, never in danger of relegation always trying to play positive, thoughtful, passing football. And six points against ManU. Conclusion: A bloody good start to a three year plan. Likely Outcome: SGE sacked. Madness!!!!

[David of Didsbury]

Many years ago Len Shackleton wrote a book. One chapter was entitiled something like "What the average director knows about football." This was followed by a blank page. Now why should I remember this when I read that Thaksin has sacked Eriksson?

[Tim]

It's mad for Thaksin to believe he is entitled to more than his team has achieved this season. But then again, Ranieri finished second when Abramovich arrived and he too was sacked.

[Red Mal]

Of course not. It is massive club and needs more then one season to turn it around. Stick with Sven his tactics in major tournaments with England proved his genius!

[Steve Phillips]

I think it would cause outrage in the Blue Half of Manchester if Sven was sacked at the end of the season. He may never have lived up to expectations as the national coach, but he was the best City manager for years, without doubt. This business man has gambled on the buying of this great club I feel, I think it will end up another Liverpool situation, if you don't know whay your doing then stop upsetting the apple cart and go before the fans start a revolution against you!

[Roger]

Thaksin is mad, crazy, out of his mind!

[Bill]

Of course he's not right but it's his toy and he can do what he likes with it. Am I the only one who's actually looking forward to the bubble bursting? It might take ten or even twenty years but it will happen - and then we can have our game.

[Andrew Metcalfe]

Unfortunately this is what happens when you're at the whim of big money.
It's easy to forget that Eriksson's appointment was a last minute thing after the MC purchase was finalized. He moved fast to build a squad...not surprisingly, not every buy has proved successful. Have MC improved? Markedly. Does he deserve another year? Absolutely. Does TS know the first thing about football? Probably not.

[Will Fred]

No.

Champions of Manchester is their first trophy in 34 years. It's a scandal.