Glenn Moore in Bratislava: FA on standby as Eriksson awaits trial by tabloid

'I'm proud to be England manager. It is worth a lot of things to be manager, but sometimes you have to pay a price'

As a multiple winner of leagues and cups across Europe, Sven Goran Eriksson has overseen many a crucial match but he can rarely have needed a result as badly as today.

The opening tie of a new qualifying campaign is important in its own right. England's European Championship fixture against Slovakia has the added dimension of serving to either buttress, or further corrode, the reputation of a manager under siege.

This weekend is expected to see the serialisation of Ulrika Jonsson's ghosted autobiography in which Eriksson's ill-advised dalliance with his compatriot is a central feature. It is not so much what he did as what he might have said which had Football Association officials here standing by their mobiles last night awaiting the first reports.

Eriksson yesterday said he was confident "there is nothing which might happen in the next 48 hours which will persuade me to resign". But he admitted he had "no idea" what was in the book.

He added: "I'm proud to be England manager. It is worth a lot of things to be England manager. Sometimes you have to pay a price. As long as I'm willing to pay that price I am happy."

The price has clearly escalated recently. Eriksson spoke in a whisper to television and looked drained when addressing print journalists. Unlike Glenn Hoddle, the last England manager to be enveloped in a media maelstrom, he admitted he may have brought it upon himself though he also reflected "it might be the way things are in the country I work in."

He added: "There has been much more outside football than I expected. It is not that important for England fans, players or staff. I am sure the players are not interested in my private life."

The probing into his personal life irked Eriksson even when it was benign and there is a genuine fear within the FA that he may eventually decide it is too much to bear. There is also concern that the book's contents could either force them to jettison Eriksson or him to jump ship. The FA in general, and the chief executive, Adam Crozier, in particular, are determined to back their manager if they can. They believe he will also tough it out. Both parties would, though, have their position immeasurably strengthened by England taking six points from today's game and Wednesday's qualifier against Macedonia in Southampton. As Eriksson added: "I have never doubted that as a manager of club or country results are the only real thing."

Indeed, it was the results that brought Hoddle down, not his comments about disabled people. When he said the same before the World Cup it passed unnoticed. When he repeated them three matches into a European qualifying campaign which had brought defeat in Sweden, a home draw to Bulgaria, and a patchy win in Luxembourg, they provided the excuse for his removal.

Eriksson's prospects of building a six-pointed shield against the slings and arrows of Jonsson's pen may, though, be weakened by his team selection. Leaks from within the camp suggest he is about to abandon one of the central tenets of his management: logic. While a case can be made for playing Emile Heskey in attack alongside Michael Owen it is harder to justify filling the subsequent vacancy on the left with Paul Scholes. The motivation, it would seem, is partly to protect a defence shorn of Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell. Eriksson also wants to bring Steven Gerrard back without dropping Nicky Butt following his excellent World Cup. Thus Scholes is sent into the Bermuda Triangle position. "He plays good football wherever he is," said Eriksson, "I am sure he can play there."

Eriksson's sense of loyalty and belief in continuity would also appear to be the explanation for preferring Jonathan Woodgate as Gareth Southgate's defensive partner rather than Ugo Ehiogu. The pairing finished the last international, against Portugal, but Ehiogu not only seems a more complementary partner to Southgate but has played alongside him more than 200 times at club level. The one positive is that Woodgate is a genuine long-term prospect. "He has a great future," said Eriksson. "He is a modern player. He is not only a big strong stopper, he can play football as well. He is very calm, a good professional and a good passer."

The last quality may be of limited benefit to judge from the length of the grass at the Tehelne Pole stadium. With rain falling for 24 hours and more forecast, the pitch could be very sticky, making passing, especially in defence, treacherous. England have asked for a mow, but cannot insist on it.

All these problems should be overcome and will probably have to be if England are to qualify automatically for 2004. Eriksson admitted the balance of Group Seven made victory imperative as a point dropped to one of the minor teams could hand first place to Turkey.

As if the FA do not have enough to worry about there is also concern that this fixture could be marred by hooliganism. The advance guard of England supporters appear very different from the cheerful masses who accompanied the team in Japan and there is a real danger that the FA, having asked the Slovakians not to tolerate racist abuse, could be embarrassed by the behaviour of their own fans. It promises to be a tense weekend.