Sport 05-08-2004 D-Day For FA who: Sven Goran Eriksson what: Has future decided by FA board of directors where: LONDON when: Today snippet: "Sven Goran Eriksson`s fate will be decided in his absence today," says The Scotsman, "as the Football Association`s board finally rules on the unseemly scandal which has bedeviled the governing body over the past few weeks." "Eriksson has pleaded his innocence to the FA of any charges of misleading them about his affair with Faria Alam," says the BBC. "The FA board will gather at a secret London location to hear evidence gathered by solicitor Peter Norbury." "FA insiders indicated last night that there is not enough evidence to fire Eriksson," says The Mirror, "but there are still some members of the board who think a change is needed especially after England`s performances at the last World Cup and Euro 2004." "Eriksson`s case has been helped by an extraordinarily ill-judged tribute from David Davies, the executive director, on Monday," comments Henry Winter in The Telegraph. "Davies stood on the steps of Soho Square and lauded the coach`s talents, words that completely undermined the FA`s chances of reducing the compensation they would owe Eriksson." Meanwhile, The Mirror says Faria Alam, the PA to Davies who had a relationship with both Eriksson and former chief exec Mark Palios, has signed a deal with publicist Max Clifford. And The Sun claims that Sven told a friend last night that the FA board of directors are a "bunch of amateurs", amongst other things, although it is frankly hard to imagine the ice-cool Swede uttering the words, as reporter Charles Rae claims, "complete cock-up". [... more]

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