Eriksson would talk to Toon, claims agent

The Lyon boss and the former England manager, both 59, have been heavily linked with the post vacated by Glenn Roeder on Sunday evening despite the fact that Allardyce is an overwhelming favourite to be appointed at the second time of asking.

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Waiting game: Sven-Goran Eriksson

No talks have taken place between the Tyneside club and either the Frenchman or the Swede and their representatives.

However, it is understood the Houllier camp have made their interest known, while Eriksson's agent Athole Still has admitted his client would talk to the Magpies should they consider him an option.

Still said: "There has been no contact whatsoever, but if Newcastle were interested in Sven-Goran Eriksson, I am sure Sven-Goran Eriksson would be interested in talking to Newcastle.

"Sven is very keen to get back into club football and he would be interested in talking to any club which had real ambition."

Houllier has just led Lyon to their sixth successive French title, and his second in the two years since he took charge.

The club currently enjoy a 19-point lead over second-placed Lens with three games still to play.

Houllier made his mark in England during a six-year stint at Liverpool, where he won the FA, League and UEFA Cups in 2001, and followed that up by lifting the Charity Shield and European Super Cup the following season.

Eriksson is awaiting the right opportunity to return to management after his departure from the England set-up following last summer's World Cup finals.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has been keeping his own counsel since Roeder's departure in the wake of Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Blackburn.

He was due to attend the Soccerex football conference at Wembley Stadium today, but was a late withdrawal and was replaced on the panel by Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney.

Shepherd is understood to have identified Allardyce, who resigned at Bolton boss late last month, as his number one target, and bookmakers quickly suspended betting on his appointment.

However, the former Sunderland defender was on holiday in Spain when the news broke and the Magpies chairman insisted he had not spoken to him before Roeder's decision was announced.

With two years remaining on his contract at the Reebok Stadium, Shepherd would be presented with a sizeable bill if he appoints Allardyce, while speculation that he could face further questioning under the Quest investigation could also complicate matters.

In addition, opinion on Tyneside is divided over his recruitment with Eriksson faring well in a poll of fans carried out by local radio station Metro.

But Shepherd has repeatedly dismissed speculation linking his club with the Swede, and is unlikely to pick up the phone this time around.

Whatever the misgivings of some fans, Bob Moncur, the last Newcastle captain to lift a major trophy, the 1969 Fairs Cup, is confident Allardyce could tackle the job which has defeated some of the biggest names in British football in recent years.

He said: "Sam Allardyce is my type of manager. He is a big lad and strong enough to chin any player who steps out of line.

"One of the concerns of the United supporters who have spoken to me is that they are convinced that Bolton Wanderers have not played good football under Allardyce.

"Well, if Bolton's football has not been very good, then there is a very good reason for it.

"Make no mistake about it, Sam Allardyce has done a great job at Bolton Wanderers with limited resources, and that latter fact might reflect on how they have played.

"For me, Sam never had the players to play fancy football. But hopefully he will get some money at St James' Park and Newcastle will get some players with flair.

"But as far as I am concerned, good football is not a priority for Newcastle United in their current situation.

"What we need is to have a winning team and to get up that league table.

"When we won the Fairs Cup in 1969, did we play silky football? Like hell we did.

"Some fans have mentioned the fact to me that they don't want Sam Allardyce because he used to play for Sunderland, but I cannot believe they can even say that. What's that got to do with it?"

Meanwhile, Roeder's resignation could have ended the Magpies' hopes of landing out-of-contract Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell this summer amid reports that Chelsea and Everton have joined the race for his signature.

The outgoing manager was convinced he had landed the 24-year-old, but that situation now appears to have changed.

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON FACTFILE

1948: Born Torsby, Sweden, February 5.

1975: Finishes playing career in Sweden with his only club, Degerfors.

1976: Takes over as coach at Degerfors.

1979: Takes over as coach of IFK Gothenburg. Wins one league title and two Swedish cups.

1982: Quits Gothenburg to join Benfica.

1983: In his first season with Benfica, wins Portuguese championship and domestic cup, but loses in final of the UEFA Cup to Anderlecht.

1984: Wins Portuguese championship again, before taking over at Roma.

1986: Wins Italian Cup in his second season.

1987: Leaves Roma to join Fiorentina.

1989: Rejoins Benfica.

1990: Takes Benfica to European Cup final, but his side lose 1-0 to AC Milan.

1991: Wins Portuguese championship for the third time.

1992: Leaves Benfica to join Sampdoria.

1994: Wins Italian Cup.

1996: Named as new Blackburn manager, but is unable to join until the summer of 1997 due to contractual obligations with Sampdoria and later changes his mind.

1997: Joins Lazio.

1998: Wins Italian Cup and Italian Super Cup.

1999: Wins European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup.

2000: Wins Italian Serie A title and Italian Cup.

October - Agrees five-year contract to become first foreign manager of the England from summer of 2001.

2001: January - Resigns as Lazio manager, leaving him free to take up England post immediately.

September - Perhaps the Swede's finest hour as England boss. After falling behind in Munich, England storm back to beat Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier.

2002: April - Eriksson's World Cup preparations are disrupted by revelations of his affair with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson.

June - England slip out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage as they go down 2-1 to Brazil in Shizuoka.

2003: July - Eriksson admits meeting new Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich but claims the occasion was purely a social one.

October - England draw 0-0 in Turkey to reach Euro 2004 finals.

2004: March - Pictured in a national newspaper attending a meeting with Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, fuelling speculation he was next in line for the manager's job at Stamford Bridge; Later agrees two-year extension with Football Association taking him up until 2008.

June - England knocked out of Euro 2004 by hosts Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals.

August 5 - FA board say Eriksson has "no case to answer" following revelations of an affair with secretary Faria Alam.

2005: September - Fans chant for his sacking as England lose to Northern Ireland 1-0 in Belfast.

2006: January - Tells an undercover reporter - posing as a rich Arab - that he would quit as England coach if they win the World Cup, and suggested he would be prepared to become manager of Aston Villa as part of a takeover bid; Incident leads to an appearance before the FA Compliance Unit and it is later announced Eriksson will leave his post after the 2006 World Cup.

May - Causes huge shock when he includes 17-year-old Arsenal striker Theo Walcott in his squad for the World Cup, despite admitting he has never seen him play.

July - England knocked out of World Cup in quarter-finals by Portugal on penalties. Walcott was not given a chance during the tournament.

October - First linked with Newcastle post - claims he is unhappy about the stories.

2007: January - Denies interest in moving to Marseille.

April - Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd plays down suggestions Eriksson could be the club's next manager.

May 9 - Agent Athole Still reveals Eriksson would be interested in discussing the vacant Newcastle job.