Success eluded Eriksson as coach

Gelsenkirchen: Sven-Goran Eriksson ended his reign as England coach with Saturday's shootout defeat by Portugal after failing to deliver the success his adopted country craved.

In recent months the bespectacled Swede said he would be judged on England's run in Germany, his third tournament in charge after the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.

By falling for the third time at the quarter-final hurdle, when pitted against the same coach, Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari, Eriksson failed to exploit the potential of a talented squad.

"Four years ago, we reached the quarter-finals and that was a good result -- and even two years ago," he admitted on Saturday. "But this time it's not good enough."

"We had to play at least the semi-final, if not the final, because the quality of the squad is that good."

England had the right blend of experience in the likes of captain David Beckham, right back Gary Neville and midfielder Steven Gerrard, plus the exciting vigour of a new generation led by striker Wayne Rooney.

Yet England toiled through an unconvincing Group B campaign and edged Ecuador 1-0 thanks to a Beckham freekick before their hopes were again dashed by Portugal.

On Saturday, nothing went right for the Swede.

Beckham limped off injured and Rooney was red-carded before England bowed out of a fifth tournament on penalties after playing nearly an hour with 10 men.

It had all been so different in the honeymoon period of Eriksson's reign in early 2001, when the Swede's experienced hand in club football had done a shattered England so much good.

Humiliated by their 1-0 defeat by Germany in the last match beneath Wembley's twin towers, a demoralised England were in disarray and rudderless after Kevin Keegan quit.

Eriksson's arrival as the first non-English manager of the team sparked a controversy that has never entirely abated, at least among the ranks of the British media.

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Yet his first game in charge was a resounding 3-0 friendly win over Spain and he transformed the 2002 qualifying campaign as England went on to top the group after notching a memorable 5-1 win over Germany in Munich.

Injury Blight

England's progress in Japan was hampered by injuries, before and during the finals, and it all came home to roost when they simply ran out of ideas in the searing heat of Shizuoka.

Brazil, down to 10 men after a red card for match-winner Ronaldinho, were still too good for them.

England qualified for Euro 2004 after a 0-0 draw with Turkey in the intimidating atmosphere of Istanbul and went in good heart to Portugal, where Rooney burst on to the international scene.

Still a teenager, Rooney scored four times at the finals before breaking his foot against the hosts -- a setback from which they never really recovered, going on to lose a penalty shootout in an uncanny omen for Saturday's World Cup exit.

Eriksson, whose private life regularly featured in the tabloid press, suffered the final media blow this year when he made unguarded comments to a journalist posing as a Middle East businessman.

The 'Fake Sheikh' affair was a step too far for the Football Association and Eriksson's stay in charge of England was limited to their final game in Germany.

Millions of English fans hoped that would be a victorious final in Berlin on July 9. Instead, it was Saturday's defeat in the bleak industrial landscape of Gelsenkirchen.