Sven just has to please half a city

Two members of the local constabulary were posted either side of the tunnel as the man who spent much of the past 12 months being paid £13,000 a day by the FA for not working walked back into public life.

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Fewer than 20 cameramen were present to capture Eriksson's entrance as manager of Manchester City.

Eriksson, dressed in a light blue suit, raised a fist in the direction of the cluster of City fans encamped behind the goal.

Elsewhere, a few boos and catcalls were audible as his name was announced. In truth, Eriksson heard much worse during his five-year tenure as England manager. He will not have been offended by his re-entry to Planet Football. After all, many feel he played the fall guy to Beckham during those deadpan years in the England dugout. Even his departure from the job last year was overshadowed when Beckham announced his resignation as captain.

There was a symmetry about the two men embarking on new chapters in their lives within 24 hours. There was an inevitability, too, that events on opposite sides of the Atlantic should have been staged in such a wildly contrasting manner. Beckham and his wife Victoria — amid the blinding light of flash photography — showed they will willingly immerse themselves in life in the piranha pool that the outside world call Hollywood.

Eriksson, as we have come to understand, will nod sagely from the touchline of the game of life without a flicker of emotion, as he did at Doncaster yesterday afternoon. Only now, instead of having to satisfy the craving of the entire nation, he has but to please one half of the city of Manchester. He would be advised not to underestimate the scale of that mission.

The job sapped the spirit from Kevin Keegan and brought about the downfall of Stuart Pearce at the end of last season. Eriksson's advantage is that he has at his disposal the bankroll of former Thailand Premier Thaksin Shinawatra — or money outside the £1.3 billion assets frozen as he faces corruption charges at home.

Eriksson's reputation at City is dependent, it seems, on the quality of players he can entice to the club.

Last night he declined to comment on speculation that Arsenal's unsettled Freddie Ljungberg is a target. 'I can't say yes, and I can't say no,' said Eriksson. That's a maybe then.

He did, however, announce the signing of Switzerland's Under-21 captain Gelson Fernandes for an undisclosed fee, making him his second acquisition following last week's £8.8 million purchase of Italian striker Rolando Bianchi.

'You see,we are not looking for old players to come at the end of their careers,' said Eriksson.'We will be getting more players, but it doesn't depend just on me, I have to speak with people above me.'

At least, as a club manager he has the luxury of availing himself of the free market, something he missed during those years with England.

Yesterday, Eriksson's return to the workplace did not have a promising start. After 16 minutes, City fell behind to a goal from Rovers' Sean McDaid. 'We're just too good for you,' sang Rovers fans mockingly.

Clearly, their Rovers' success in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy last season has still not been forgotten in this part of Yorkshire.

But Eriksson responded as only he can. At half-time he made four changes and, with his new assistant manager Hans Backe at his side, the 59-year-old Swede watched Bernado Corradi, Micah Richards and Emile Mpenza rattle in three goals.

City fans duly reacted with their first-heard chorus of 'Sven Goran Eriksson'. The man stretched forward from his seat and offered a wave in reward.

When the final whistle sounded, and the 6,375 crowd began to file out, Eriksson went on to the pitch to applaud City's travelling fans.He shook hands with anyone in range and walked among his players, now squatting on the turf near the dugout. For a moment, his heart might have sunk. Had someone organised a penalty shoot-out and forgotten to tell him?

But unlike his last day's work as a manager, in the World Cup against Portugal, Eriksson had nothing to fear as he stayed beside the dugout signing autographs for the curious.

'I feel welcome,' said Eriksson. With the season still a month distant, that's at least a crumb of comfort to a man with a great deal still to prove in English football.

Unlike David Beckham, of course.