THEY may only constitute nine words, but now I'm left wondering whether they should spell the end for Sven-Goran Eriksson.

The England national coach may well have ushered the three lions' pride into next summer's Euro 2004 championships climax in Portugal. He may also be rubbing his hands at the prospect of 'home service' that should smooth the way to the next World Cup finals in Germany in 2006, bolstered too by the fact that the Football Association mandarins of Soho Square have already laid before him a new contract.

But a phrase uttered by the inscrutable Swede while commenting ostensibly on the FA's tortoise-pawed, ponderous disciplinary procedures has damned him in this observer's Kelly's eyes.

As he reflected on the dispiriting delay hovering over the inquiry into the drugs test missed by Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand - a protracted saga that has had FIFA president Sepp Blatter insisting the player should have been given an instant ban - Eriksson was reported to have said: "Sepp Blatter is right in one respect, you miss a drug test and you are banned."

Run that again: "...you miss a drug test and you are banned," and again: "...you miss a drug test and you are banned." Clear, concise, condemnatory.

But precisely where were those words of unequivocal feeling when Sven's men were threatening a foolhardy strike in support of the fool tardy Ferdinand ahead of the critical encounter in Turkey that would determine whether England would automatically qualify for next summer's European summit?

As that row rumbled on with all the dignity of pampered pedigree puppies scrabbling for a single bone, Sven might well have been starring in a remake of 'The Quiet Man'.

Now I was not one of those blinkered blimps who either tut-tutted into their tea or foamed at the mouth into their gin and tonics when the FA opted to recruit a - shock, horror, gasp - foreigner to lead the national team.

After the Keegan option had gone awry, English successors were thinner on the ground than blades of grass once the irrepressible Bobby Robson had been ruled out by his Newcastle United directors. Eriksson was a perfectly excellent choice and the FA were then to be commended for what was an unprecedented decision in the history of the English game.

Since his appointment Eriksson's record has been admirable, if not adorable. Apart from tinkering in friendly line-ups that would make Chelsea's Claudio Ranieri blush, the Swede has harnessed a squad, whose potential provides keen hope of international success.

But his feeble silence among the lambs of the squad during their withdrawal of labour threat has since been weakened by this fresh statement backing splatter Blatter's sentiment.

If Sven had then reacted as Brian Clough said he would have done by throwing the door open to the would-be strikers and declaring once they went through it they would never don the white shirt again, his credibility would have risen.

Meanwhile,Clough - seldom off the small screen during the 1970s and 1980s - was back on the box during BBC's live television coverage of the Burton Albion v Hartlepool second round tie. No longer dishing out the Clough edge of his tongue, the best manager never to have led England, remains a wily old fox. If only the FA had shown the balls it did in appointing Eriksson back then when Cloughie was the ideal candidate for the England job.

Updated: 09:09 Tuesday, December 09, 2003