Eriksson determined to 'complete' City job

LONDON, England -- Sven-Goran Eriksson has delivered a defiant response after reports his job could be in jeopardy -- and insists he will still be in charge at Manchester City next season.

Speculation about the Swede's future was fuelled by owner Thaksin Shinawatra's admission this week that he has not been happy with the second half of the club's season.

"These kinds of stories do not annoy me," said former England manager Eriksson in the Manchester Evening News. "When you live in football you also live with rumors.

"I have a contract for two more seasons and that is it. I am here to complete what I started.

"I can understand people not being happy with the second half of the season.

"I have not been happy with it either but after winning at Sunderland I hope we are back now and everything should be on track."

City made a flying start to their Premier League campaign after the arrival of billionaire Thaksin and Eriksson last summer, but have won just four of their 14 league games in 2008.

They remain eighth in the table and in with a chance of European qualification and on Sunday host FA Cup finalists Portsmouth.

Former president of Thailand, Thaksin, was attending a business conference in Dubai where he made his feelings public.

"I'm not happy with the performance of the club in the second half of the season," he said. "We will look at it at the end of the season and assess the club and the people involved."

Eriksson spent heavily on his arrival with mixed success, but the club's under-18's showed the future is bright on Wednesday when they beat Chelsea 3-1 on the night at Eastlands, and 4-2 on aggregate, to lift the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1986. E-mail to a friend