Alan Clarifies Comments On Sven



ALAN Pardew would like to clarify comments he made on the League Managers' Association website regarding England manager Sven Goran Eriksson.

Alan wishes to make clear that he was mis-quoted in a conversation he believed to be off the record and in no way meant his comments to be critical towards the England manager, his staff or the Football Association.

"My comments were taken out of context during a phone conversation," he explained. "I fell into the trap of doing a phone interview with someone I know and sadly have been seriously miss-quoted on this issue.

"I did not like the way these comments were conveyed and I feel embarrassed at the situation. These quotes do not reflect my true opinion of Sven Goran Eriksson, who I feel has done a fantastic job in the past four years with England and is a manager I admire.

"I stand by my opinion that the national team should be managed by an English coach. However, I do wholeheartedly support the job Sven is doing and I wish him and his staff every success in this crucial World Cup year."