Soccer: Eriksson sues paper over 'fake Sheikh' sting

Sven-Goran Eriksson

LONDON - England soccer coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is suing the News of the World after it quoted him saying he was ready to leave the national side after this year's World Cup.

The News of the World quoted the Swede telling one of its journalists posing as a wealthy Arab businessman that he might quit after the tournament in Germany and take over at Premier League club Aston Villa.

"Our clients' position is that stories of this sort, and the distortion of what was said during confidential discussions in order to create the bogus appearance of some legitimate public interest, must be remedied," said Eriksson's lawyers.

His lawyers, Charles Russell LLP, said they were suing the News of the World for breach of confidence in the High Court in London. They said their requests for copies of the surreptitiously recorded interview tapes had been declined.

The News of the World has long boasted of Mazher Mahmood's scoops. He is known as the "fake Sheikh" and always appears in the paper with his face obscured.

Targets of previous undercover exposes have included members of the royal family and other senior figures in football.

"We stand by the publication of our story 100 per cent," a News of the World spokeswoman said in a statement.

"Our investigation uncovered facts about Sven-Goran Eriksson which we believe fans and players had a right to know. There will be further revelations published on Sunday," she said.

Eriksson earns about 3 million pounds net per year after becoming the country's first foreign coach five years ago. He had asked for 5 million a year to lure him to Villa, the paper said.

It also quoted him as saying he could help persuade England captain David Beckham to leave Real Madrid and join Villa.

- REUTERS