Eriksson in talks with Guangzhou R&F

BEIJING (AFP) –

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson arrives at the National Stadium in Bangkok on September 3, 2012. A Chinese football club is in talks to appoint Eriksson as their next manager, a spokesman said Monday, despite reports linking the former England boss to the Cameroon national side.

A Chinese football club is in talks to appoint Sven-Goran Eriksson as their next manager, a spokesman said Monday, despite reports linking the former England boss to the Cameroon national side.

“Eriksson is one of the candidates,” said Chen Jie, a spokeswoman for Guangzhou R&F, based in the capital of the boom southern province of Guangdong.

“The club is currently in talks with him, however (the appointment) has not been finalised yet,” she told AFP, adding the club’s new manager would be announced at a yet to be confirmed date in the future.

The appointment would put Eriksson in the same city as former Italy coach Marcello Lippi, who has been manager of rivals Guangzhou Evergrande since last May and led them to last season’s China Super League championship.

Guangzhou R&F — the initials stand for “rich and force” — finished seventh in the competition.

Swede Eriksson has had a stellar career as a club manager for several European sides, including Lazio, who he steered to Italy’s Serie A championship in 2000.

He then took charge of England, guiding the Three Lions to the World Cup finals in 2002 and 2006. His last game in charge was England’s penalty shootout defeat to Portugal in the quarter-final of the tournament eventually won by Lippi’s Italy.

Eriksson returned to club management with English Premier League Manchester City in 2007. He left after just a year in charge and had a spell in charge of the Mexico national side before taking Ivory Coast to the 2010 World Cup finals.

The Cameroon football association said in April that they were considering Eriksson for the job of national coach.