Sven resolves player mutiny
02 May 2008 - 07:49:39
Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has reportedly talked his players out of a proposed boycott of their end-of-season promotional tour to Thailand.
Several senior players are reported to have approached the Swede to seek permission to publish a statement outlining their unhappiness over owner Thaksin Shinawatra's plan to sack him at the end of the season.
The delegation wanted to accuse the former Thai prime minister of making a grave mistake in dispensing with the services of the former England head coach despite a successful first season in charge.
However, Eriksson is believed to have calmed the mutiny ahead of the two-game tour to Shinawatra's home country later this month.
Reports claimed the players would refuse to participate in a game against a Thailand All-Stars team on May 17, as well as a match against a South China Invitational side five days later.
Meanwhile, City captain Richard Dunne has been passed fit for Sunday's clash with Liverpool, but fellow defender Micah Richards won't be risked at Anfield despite returning to training following knee surgery.
"He (Dunne) will play on Sunday. He's trained fully this week," he revealed.
On the availability of Richards, he added: "He's getting better all the time and he might be fit next week, but if there's a small risk for him to get injured again, we shouldn't risk that. Absolutely not.
"We can't risk him because that would be awful."