The paper quoted the England coach telling a BBC conference: "If we win the World Cup, I will say goodbye and thank you. I think people will understand me doing that.

"I have always said that I wanted to be judged on football results. If we fail in the World Cup, I have to pay the price, that's fair. If we don't get to the semifinals, it's fair that I don't stay in the job."

Eriksson is still coming to terms with a News of the World investigation last Sunday in which an undercover reporter, disguised as an Arab sheikh, helped extract a series of indiscreet comments about current England players from the 57-year-old former Lazio boss.

The England coach also speculated about the possibility of taking over at Premiership side Aston Villa after the World Cup final in Germany in July even though his contract with the national side does not end until 2008.

"It was a kick under the belt," the Mail quoted Eriksson as saying of the tabloid newspaper's 'sting'. "I was disappointed it wasn't reported that I said Rio Ferdinand was the best defender in the world and that Wayne Rooney was the best footballer in the world."