Eriksson wants successor named before World Cup

The Swede takes charge of his last England friendly on Wednesday at Anfield against Uruguay before he names his squad on 15 May and he told BBC Radio Five yesterday that while he would like the question of his successor to be settled before the competition, he would not want him alongside him in the dugout.

The FA chief executive Brian Barwick, Premier League chairman Dave Richards, and FA international chairman and Liverpool director Noel White will make their presentations to the FA board today. Martin O'Neill is the first choice for many of the board and Richards has already expressed a preference for the new man to be, at the very least, British.

Eriksson said: "I think the FA must have a new manager before the World Cup starts because if they wait until after it's too late. England have to play a friendly game in August and then qualifying for Euro 2008 starts in September. I think England should go to Germany with one manager not two [his successor as well]. He's welcome to sit in the stands.

"I am more confident now than four years ago and two years ago [at Euro 2004 in Portugal] because the squad is much stronger. The only thing which I always say is hopefully there will not be a lot of injuries and too many tired players but we have one extra week [to prepare] so that will be good."

The Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, has said that he would prefer Eriksson to rest his captain Steven Gerrard for the Uruguay match following the injury to Mohamed Sissoko against Benfica last week. Eriksson said yesterday that he would start with his strongest line-up for the game at Anfield but would not expect those players in the Champions' League to play for the entire game - a move that is unlikely to please Sir Alex Ferguson, who will have Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville in the side.

There were few surprises in his squad - Charlton's Darren Bent was picked and may have edged ahead of Tottenham's Jermain Defoe in the pecking order. Manchester United's Wes Brown was selected, as was Neville, who has not played since the friendly defeat to Denmark in August. Eriksson said that he would have picked Jonathan Woodgate, had he been fit, and now looks likely to start with Liverpool's Peter Crouch partnering Rooney in attack.

Wayne Bridge also is back in the squad and, with Ashley Cole injured, should start at left-back. Eriksson's first-choice midfield of David Beckham, Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole are all fit.

Squad to face Uruguay

Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Robert Green (Norwich), David James (Manchester City), Luke Young (Charlton), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (Man United), Ledley King (Tottenham), Gary Neville (Man United), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), David Beckham (Real Madrid), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham), Kieran Richardson (Man United), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Tottenham), Darren Bent (Charlton), Wayne Rooney (Man United), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham).