Eriksson begins preparing for exit from Man City

The Swede summoned his players yesterday to admit that there was a strong possibility he would be sacked and that the process might be accelerated by the 3-2 defeat to Fulham on Saturday, the Guardian online reported.

Eriksson decided it was time to address the subject after several players asked him for clarification. Michael Ball followed Nedum Onuoha and Micah Richards in speaking out in his support. "Every player is 100% behind him. We like his methods, the way he trains, the way he goes about his tactics," the defender said.

That seems to matter little to Thaksin, who has refused to offer public backing, and there is a growing feeling that Eriksson is on borrowed time. He has no plans to resign, not least because it would mean missing out on a payoff for the final 25 months of his £2.5m-a-year deal, but he has been increasingly disillusioned since Thaksin made it clear he was contemplating bringing in another manager.

The two men met for the first time in over a month on Sunday and Eriksson was initially said to be encouraged by what were described as "cordial" talks, in particular by the fact that Thaksin wanted to talk about transfer targets. But the manager did not receive any assurances about his future and inquiries behind the scenes have increased his anxiety.

Eriksson believes he has done a creditable job, with City ensconced in the top 10 all season and the only club to manage a double over Manchester United. Even though he is too financially astute to resign, he is coming round to the opinion that it would be better to leave and he would not be against entering talks about a payoff. Ideally he would like to stay in England but it is more likely he would go to Spain or France.

The situation has demoralised the English representatives on City's board, all of whom want Thaksin to change his mind but are aware that the former prime minister of Thailand is not a man who can be talked around easily. The chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, and vice-chairman, John Wardle, are particularly dismayed.

by Guardian.co.uk