So Thaksin Shinawatra, deposed prime minister of Thailand and owner of Manchester City FC, brought in former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to run his club. Shinawatra laid out a five-year plan with Eriksson, with the first year's goal being a top-ten finish in the Premier League -- a step up from the relegation battle the club was mired in last season.Manchester City achieved that goal three weeks ago. The club also swept arch rival Manchester United. Eriksson clearly has the support of his players and the club's fans.
So why is Shinawatra firing Eriksson?
Seriously, what sort of idiot lays out a five-year plan where the first-year goals are met, then abandons the plan just because the team got pipped at home by another team fighting its way out of the drop zone? The Premier League season is a long haul, and these things happen. Did Shinawatra look at Man City's early success and just assume they would stay in the top four the whole way?
The League Managers Association has asked Shinawatra to reconsider sacking Eriksson, but at this point, if I were Sven, I'd walk away, because I could find better work elsewhere. Sven doesn't need this sort of grief from an owner who clearly has no clue how to run a successful club. No wonder Shinawatra got kicked out of Thailand.
