Eriksson set for Hammers debut

13 April 2012

Sven-Goran Eriksson is expected to take in Saturday's clash between West Ham and Sunderland at Upton Park as his first Premiership game as England coach.

The 52-year-old Swede, who yesterday resigned as Lazio coach, should arrive in London before the weekend to officially take up his new post.

And the likes of England hopefuls Kevin Phillips and Joe Cole will be pleased to hear that Eriksson's right-hand man, Tord Grip, reckons Upton Park will be the new coach's first port of call.

"We will be watching league matches on both Saturday and Sunday," Grip told the Norwegian daily newspaper, Aftonbladet."It will probably be the game between West Ham and Sunderland on Saturday."

Arsenal's home game against Chelsea is probably the pick of the weekend action, but unlikely to feature many England players.

Other options include Aston Villa's game against Liverpool and Manchester United's trip to Bradford.

On Sunday, Eriksson will then watch Peter Taylor's Leicester in action at Ipswich before continuing a hectic schedule of scouting in the build-up to naming his first England squad in mid-February.

Grip has already embarked on exactly that type of programme over the past couple of months, and the pair have spoken regularly.

Since the announcement on October 31 last year of his intended appointment, the FA have sent Eriksson details of every England player, throughout all the age groups, for him to study, as well as video tapes.

Sunday's visit to Portman Road will also allow Eriksson to meet up again with Taylor, who along with Manchester United number two Steve McClaren will act as assistants to the new coach.

When first unveiled as the man to succeed Kevin Keegan in October, Eriksson freely admitted at a press conference that he did not know who the Sunderland left-back or the Leicester goalkeeper was.

After this weekend, he should have the answer.

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