Former Football Association executive director David Davies has revealed that Sven-Goran Eriksson considered selecting four non-Englishmen for the national team squad.
In his new book FA Confidential, currently being serialised by the Daily Mail, Davies makes the shock revelation that the Swede – the first non-Englisman to manage England – had identified four uncapped foreign stars who would have been eligible to play for England due to FIFA’s residence rules.
The names put forward were Chelsea’s Italian goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, Arsenal’s Brazilian star Edu and Fulham’s French duo of Louis Saha and Steed Malbranque.
None of the four ever went on to play for England, with Edu and Saha subsequently capped by their own nations.
“‘I like Carlo Cudicini’, Sven told me – an opinion which led to a very serious consideration being given within Soho Square to recruiting Chelsea’s Italian goalkeeper.
“However, our goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence was particularly concerned, insisting to Sven it would destroy our keepers.
“‘Can you also find out about Malbranque, Edu and Saha?’ Sven asked me. I wasn’t sure what the public reaction would be to an Italian, a Brazilian and two Frenchmen coming into the squad but I did Sven’s bidding.
“However, all my discreet enquiries to clubs and agents led to nothing. Miraculously, the moment our interest became known Saha and Edu were called up by their own nations, making them ineligible.”
