Sven-Göran Eriksson, Thaksin Shinawatra Saga Exposes Failures of English Press

All of the "reporting" regarding the situation with Manchester City manager Sven-Göran Eriksson's status clearly illuminates the shambolic state of the English fourth estate when it comes to coverage of sport.

The Manchester Evening News speaks of Eriksson's "shock sacking" as if it has already occurred.

The Telegraph claims owner Thaksin Shinawatra's behavior "had prompted Eriksson to consider resigning at the weekend and forfeiting about £1 million in severance pay."

Even The Guardian runs an article that speaks of "Thaksin Shinawatra's ruthless decision to pay off Sven-Göran Eriksson" as if this has already taken place and refers to Eriksson as already having "given up hope and can expect compensation of £1m."

None of these stories would have been deemed fit to print in the United States, as none of them cite a single source—even anonymously—for these claims.

The only quotes they have run are from Eriksson's assistant and agent. Neither has come close to corroborating the claims that a sacking has already been decided upon.

Sadly, this is par for the course for the English sport media. No sourcing. No quotes. Just rampant hearsay.

And the English have come to expect this behavior from their press, what with newspapermen printing as fact their own rampant speculation about transfer targets on a near-hourly basis. The whole thing is laughable from a journalism perspective.

Why is there such a drastic contrast in journalistic quality between the news and sport departments at the same paper?

Right now the headlines should read "Man City owner considering sacking Eriksson," but instead we're treated to even more blind speculation about his potential successors. And for everyone involved, that's just pathetic.