Eriksson ‘denied affair with FA secretary’
The England football coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, told his bosses buy canada goose coat online he had never had an affair with the secretary Faria Alam, a central London employment tribunal was told today.
The 56-year-old Swede was “taken aback” by questions by the Football Association’s executive director, David Davies kids, in the wake of newspaper stories linking him to the FA secretary last July.
Ms Alam is demanding £30,000 in an unfair dismissal claim against the FA, and the 39-year-old claims to have further embarrassing information about buy canada goose jacket online canada affairs with Mr Eriksson and the FA chief executive, Mark Palios.
Mr Davies told the tribunal he had been left with the “clear” understanding that Mr Eriksson and Mr Alam had not had an affair – remarks that appeared to contradict the England coach’s claims he had never confirmed or denied a relationship.
Mr Eriksson kept his job after an internal FA inquiry ruled that he had never lied and had “no case to answer”.
A statement issued by FA solicitors on Ms Alam’s behalf on the day after the story broke said Mr Eriksson and the secretary were not having, and had never had, an affair.
Five days later, however, the FA canada goose coat 1000 bulbs garland confirmed that the two had had a relationship – but on July 29 Mr Eriksson issued a statement saying: “I have at no time either categorically confirmed or denied any relationship with Ms Faria Alam.”
Mr Davies, 57, said he had telephoned Mr Eriksson on July 17 after being warned by the News of the World that it would publish details of the affair the following buy canada goose jacket online canada day.
“I can say that I believed quite clearly at the end of buy canada goose parka cheap that conversation that he was not having an affair with my berlin film festival ends canada goose jacket sponsorship amid personal assistant,” Mr Davies said. “He seemed quite taken aback by my direct question.”
Earlier today, canada goose coat 1000 the tribunal was told by the former FA communications director Colin Gibson that following the phone call, Mr Davies said both Mr Eriksson and Miss Alam had denied any affair.
Mr Gibson told the hearing: canada goose coat 1000 bulbs “I spoke to both Sven and Faria, both of whom denied that there was any truth in the story.”
Mr Davies said Ms Alam had been “categorical” in her own initial denial of the affair, but later admitted she had misled officials at English football’s governing body.
Under cross-examination, he reiterated that he had believed there had been no affair, but refused to confirm exactly what Mr Eriksson had said during their conversation.
He denied suffering from “selective memory”, but admitted he and his wife were close friends of Mr Eriksson and his partner, Nancy Dell’Olio and said that in the 72 hours after newspaper stories broke, he considered it his duty to “protect his friends”.
Mr Davies also hit back at allegations by Ms Alam that he had sexually harassed her, saying he was flabbergasted at the betrayal by a “trusted friend”.
At the tribunal’s opening on Tuesday, Ms Alam had read a statement alleging that Mr Davies had attempted to hug and kiss her, amazon canada goose jacket and that he had said he wanted to “lock me up and throw away the key”.
“Faria’s allegations are deeply hurtful and upsetting, I have reacted to them with sadness and incredulity,” Mr Davies said, describing the claims as “a mixture of half-truths and fantasy”.
He also said Mr Eriksson must himself answer allegations that he had lied, saying: “Whether there was a deliberate attempt to mislead me is a question which will have to be put to Mr best canada goose jacket style Eriksson.”
Raising the unlikely prospect of the England manager making an appearance at the tribunal, Simon Cheetham, representing Ms Alam, said: ” Mr Eriksson is an employee of the FA … we would be delighted if you could call him. If he could come along to give evidence, I would certainly not object.”
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