Tabloid intrusion Manager's private life was a press obsession

As the first foreigner to manage England, SvenGöran Eriksson's in 2001 appointment was seen as a symbol of a more outward-looking nation.

- Nadia Khomami

But his subsequent treatment by the press now feels more like the relic of a bygone age.

For decades, England managers provided colourful fodder for Britain's ferocious tabloids. Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan had their faded glamour and short-lived pop careers, while Terry Venables's gruffness bought him respect from the redtops.

So when a bespectacled Swede who looked like a middle manager was appointed to lead the Three Lions in 2001, newsrooms across the country were dismayed.

But soon, editors found that Eriksson's off-field life was often more appealing to them - and their readers - than his tactics. And he was soon to find himself splashed all over the front and back pages.

There were accusations of treachery after a 2003 clandestine meeting with the then Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich.