Eriksson: Crunch time (ShaunBotterill/GettyImages)

Eriksson maintained he is not worried about the contents of an autobiography being released by Ulrika Jonsson, with whom he had a much-publicised affair.

The concern is that the book, which starts being serialised tomorrow, could contain ill-judged comments which the England coach may - admittedly out of character - have made about his players or his future.

An initial interview with the television presenter in today's Daily Mail will not have damaged Eriksson in any way - at least not from a footballing point of view.

Ms Jonsson merely referred to their relationship as 'nice and warm', adding that: 'It wasn't shabby, shoddy or cheap.'

Claims that Eriksson wanted to leave his Italian girlfriend but was 'too frightened' of her to do so may make things a little trickier for the Swede in his personal life, however.

When asked whether there was anything he could imagine being published that might make him quit his post, Eriksson last night firmly replied: 'No.'

While being unwilling to discuss the issue any further, he admitted to being ready to 'pay the price of the job' and reluctantly added: 'What should I be afraid of?

'When the book comes out, maybe I'll be worried, maybe not, but you can't lose sleep or your focus before then. Why don't we wait until we know what's in the book rather than talking about something which we don't know anything about?'

Eriksson dismissed the book as 'other things which are not that important and shouldn't be that important at all to England fans, the players and the staff'.

Indeed, he stressed tonight's tie has far more importance, especially as his two predecessors - Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan - both lost the opening games of a campaign and were out of their jobs soon afterwards.

'What's important here is the first qualifying game of the group and it will be a hard evening for us,' said the Swede, whose team also face Macedonia at home next week.

'We are focused on that and only want to talk about football, not about other things. Otherwise, it would not be fair on England. I should be disappointed if we do not win these two games but they will not be easy. Sweden drew here on their way to qualifying for the World Cup.

'On paper, Turkey and England are the favourites to be the top two. It might be that one lost point will decide the group winners so I said to the players that it's like a Champions League group.