Former England football coach rejects Iraq, considers Cameroon job

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Former England football team head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has rejected an offer to become the next manager of Iraq’s national team.

The 70-year-old Swede met with Iraqi Football Association (IFA) officials in Istanbul last week, according to Sky Sports News, but turned down an offer for a three-year deal.

The contract would have put Eriksson in charge of the squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup as well as 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Sky Sports says the former England boss is now considering a move to Africa after holding talks with the Cameroon Football Federation (FecaFoot) last week.

“After the interview with Sven-Goran Eriksson and taking into account the other existing offers, Fecafoot will reveal in the next few days its choice of permanent coach for our national team,” Fecafoot said in a statement.

Eriksson managed several clubs across Europe before becoming England coach between 2001 and 2006 where he led the nation to the World Cup quarterfinals twice.

He also coached Mexico in 2008 and Ivory Coast, who he led to the 2010 World Cup.

The IFA has yet to release a statement regarding Eriksson as current coach Basim Qasim is expected to remain in charge.

Iraq is 89th in FIFA’s world rankings (their highest ever rank was 39 in 2004).

They have failed to qualify for the World Cup since their maiden appearance at the Mexico 1986 tournament where they lost all three of their group matches.

Iraq’s most notable triumph at the international level came in 2007 when they were crowned Asian Cup champions, beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final.