Eriksson aims for Premier League

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News conference - Eriksson targets top flight

Sven-Goran Eriksson insists he can take Notts County from League Two to the Premier League after signing a five-year deal as director of football.

The former England manager spelt out the ambitious plan, which comes after the club was taken over by a Middle-Eastern consortium last week.

"It is the biggest football challenge of my life to take Notts County to the Premier League," he said.

"I could have gone elsewhere and earned more but I'm here for the challenge."

Eriksson, 61, will work alongside current manager Ian McParland with the aim of getting promoted from League Two "as soon as possible".

"I always wanted to come back to the Premier League because it is the best League in the world," said the Swede.

"I have chosen a little bit more of a difficult way to do it. It will take some years, but after speaking to the chairman Peter Trembling and the investors, I am sure we will do it.

606: DEBATE Whether he's there for the money or not is irrelevant. The bottom line is he has experience that can benefit Notts County border_latic

"We are starting from the bottom of the bottom and trying to take it to the top. Hopefully that will happen."

Notts County chairman Peter Trembling outlined Eriksson's newly created role at the club.

"The director of football is a key position in a football club and Sven has the right contacts, the right knowledge and he can support the manager and academy and raise the profile of Notts County," he said.

"Ian and Sven will work together. Ian knows the division and it will be all about team-work. Sven is here for the long term.

"Now we need to look at getting the right players in to get this club to the Championship in the next five years."

McParland, who also played for the club in the 1980s, said he was delighted with the opportunity to work with Eriksson.

"To be honest, when the chairman Peter told me I said, it's not April yet!

The dream and the target is to reach the Premier League, for the fans, for the club, for everyone Sven-Goran Eriksson

"I would never have dreamt of someone of Sven's standing coming to Notts County. It is fantastic, he's got a lot of knowledge, he has been at big clubs all around the world.

"And he's managed England," the Scotsman added. "But I won't hold that against him."

Eriksson, who confirmed he plans to live in Nottingham, admitted he has limited knowledge of the league he will be working in but he is confident his relationship with McParland will help overcome that.

"I don't know League Two at all but I have discussed with Ian McParland what we need," he said.

"To start with we have to find good players, without good players we can't reach League One and the Championship and so on."

Eriksson started his managerial career in lower-league football with Degerfors in Sweden and insisted he was not naive about the size of the task ahead.

"It is going to be different but I look forward to that," he explained. "I started as a player at this level - and here I am again.

"The dream and the target is to reach the Premier League, for the fans, for the club, for everyone."