Sven-Goran Eriksson talks to lowly Notts County

How the mighty are fallen. Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Swede who managed some of Europe's biggest clubs and took England to the quarter-finals of the last two World Cups, has had talks with lowly Notts County on joining as their director of football.

Sacked from his last two jobs - with Manchester City and then the Mexico national side - the Swede has had to lower his ambitions.

Though he had been linked with a move to Zenit St Petersburg, Eriksson is fond of life in England, and recently spoke of wanting to return to the Premier League. If he moves to Nottingham this might take some time, as the club finished last season in 19th place in League Two, the bottom division, and have not played in the top flight since 1992. The biggest names in their team - Russell Hoult, Delroy Facey and Jamie Clapham - are players with respectable but unspectacular careers largely behind them. 

But Notts County, one of the oldest football clubs in the world, now has some financial muscle after being taken over by a Middle Eastern consortium called Munto Finance this summer. They have expressed an ambition to take the club into the Premier League within a decade, and bought a number of players who have captained lower league sides in an attempt to bring in leadership qualities.

Though there was speculation that Glenn Hoddle was in the frame for a shock return to management with the club, it would seem that current manager Ian McPartland will remain in his job, with Eriksson taking on a more continental, less hands-on role alongside him.

Editor's note: Notts County has confirmed that Eriksson had joined as director of football. The club said the Swede would be "joining his long-term assistant Tord Grip, who will assume the role of general adviser".  ·