SERIOUS questions were being asked of Sven-Göran Eriksson last night, most notably whether he should be sacked by the Football Association. “That’s up to you gentlemen and the FA but I am not going to resign,” the England head coach said after a humiliating 1-0 defeat by Northern Ireland in Belfast that led to a chorus inside Windsor Park of “Sack the Swede”.

Those calls will be resisted for now by the FA, particularly given that wins in the last two qualifying matches will guarantee England’s progress to the World Cup finals, but growing numbers of the Soho Square hierarchy, and those who follow the national team, feel locked in a loveless marriage.

Steady progress under Eriksson up to and including the 2004 European Championship finals has ground to a halt (and even gone into reverse) since that crushing defeat by Portugal just over a year ago. There has been a staleness about Eriksson’s stewardship in the past few months — even the head coach has appeared weary — and it could not be stated with certainty last night, particularly after an inept performance, that every one of his players remains convinced by his methods.

Eriksson has always been able to fight off his critics by pointing to an almost flawless record in qualifying games but his first defeat in 22 of those matches will ensure a suffocating scrutiny over the next few weeks. England face Austria and Poland at Old Trafford next month — with Wayne Rooney suspended for the first match after his caution last night — on the back of arguably their most embarrassing competitive defeat for more than 50 years.

Only 24 hours after claiming his team would be a match for Brazil, Eriksson’s England were humiliated by a Northern Ireland team containing the Plymouth Argyle left back and a Peterborough United centre forward. They lie five points behind Poland, in danger of having to go through the stress and strain of the play-offs.

No one doubts that England have the players to mount a credible challenge for the trophy and so Eriksson, inevitably, was the target for blame last night from the visiting terraces. “It is understandable if you lose against Northern Ireland,” he said. “I can’t argue with that. But I am not going to resign, I am going to try to make it right in October.

“The result went very wrong. In the first 35 minutes, we played exactly as we wanted with patience and control, creating half-chances. After that we lost our patience, the spirit. We didn’t find it at half-time and we didn’t find it in the second half.

“It is my worst experience as England manager because we shouldn’t lose, we shouldn’t even draw to Northern Ireland. I am very sorry, for the team, for the three points lost and sorry for the fans who have spent a lot of money to watch us.”

Lawrie Sanchez, Eriksson’s triumphant opposite number, attempted to express some sympathy for his counterpart. “I have no doubt that they will qualify,” he said. “Sven will get some terrible stick but this is just a hiccup for them.”

Eriksson could point out that qualification still “rests in England’s hands” but there are serious, and justified, concerns as to whether the national team is in safe custody.

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ENGLAND 4-3-3
by David McVay

PAUL ROBINSON 6/10

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